Rendezvous
by spopococ
Summary: Zack x Cloud -Yaoi Warning- A fateful afternoon in Cosmo Canyon leaves Zack meeting a mysterious elder speaking of future events involving a young boy in need of Zack's guidance. Several days later, he is assigned an understudy, and the prophecy begins.
1. Prophecies

I love this story already, and it's only the first chapter. WOO! lol.

This is my Zack x Cloud. Yayyyyyy.

Now, I have to admit, I have done Sephiroth pretty much OOC here. He's still kinda the Sephy I like to write, but I made him a little... quirky. lol.

You've been told! XP

**Warnings:**

Yaoi in later chapters. Yes, no witty remark, just the warning. I'm losing my flair. -sigh-

Language matters also in later chapters.

_Chapter One-_

_Zack meets an elder in Cosmo Canyon and is given a prophetic (is that a word?) warning, before he and Sephiroth return to Midgar for Shina recruit inductions. Zack gets assigned a cadet as part of the new mentor program introduced by Shinra, and is initially put off by the idea. Crappy summary. lol._

* * *

Zack stretched out on the bonnet of the General's newest company car and sighed, the sun bathing his already tanned skin and creating a comfortable warmth for the Lieutenant. It was his days off like these ones that, although relaxing, were completely boring and pretty much a waste of time. Cosmo Canyon was a sleepy town, not much happened, and he couldn't for the life of him understand what their company was doing here to begin with. Sephiroth had said something vaguely about speaking to the town elders in relation to 'great materia' but Zack wasn't all that interested. Sephiroth had suggested Zack come along as part of his vacation in the hope that the Lieutenant may learn something.

"Zack..." came the familiar cold voice, the Lieutenant's body tensing at the underlying threat within it.

"Ya Seph?" Zack replied cheerfully, sitting upright and grinning at the scowling General, who had his arms crossed across his broad chest, and a furrowed brow.

"What are you doing on my car?" Sephiroth asked bluntly, Zack shrugging.

"You don't even drive it, so what are you all worked up about?" Zack huffed in reply, Sephiroth sighing in resignation, Zack sliding off the bonnet of his own accord.

"We've been given permission to enter the village. I'd like you to be on your best behaviour, if at all possible."

"You're letting me go in?"

"There is a limit of six newcomers from Shinra permitted in there at a time. You are here to learn, are you not?" Sephiroth asked, raising an eyebrow critically.

"Yeah, I guess," Zack sighed, as he and the rest of their group made their way to the top of the stone steps and were counted by the village guard.

"You know, we could have kicked his ass and gotten everyone in here, right?" Zack said, quietly enough so that only Sephiroth would hear. A small smirk flitted along Sephiroth's lips.

"We're not here to start a war, Zachary."

"Don't call me Za-"

"It's not too late to put you on duty..."

"Gotta _love_ Cosmo Canyon," Zack scowled, as he entered the village, Sephiroth stopping to brief the rest of the group. He then turned to Zack, who had been paying very little attention and frowned.

"Lieutenant Fair?" He said quietly.

"Whaaaat?" Zack groaned, before stopping at the death glare he was receiving off the General.

"What are you intending to do here?" Sephiroth asked, his lips pursing in apparent frustration.

"I'll go talk to an elder or something too, I guess?" Zack sighed, rolling his eyes and heading for the large campfire in the middle of the town. He sat down by the flame and absent mindedly poked it with a stick. Why they needed a fire in the middle of the day was beyond him, but it was certainly keeping him at his preferred temperature of toasted.

They'd been travelling for three days to get here, and it hadn't helped Zack's mood in the slightest. He was naturally energetic, and the long journeys always killed him a little on the inside. Being stuck with Sephiroth wasn't so bad, but putting up with the baffoons who thought he was some kind of God drove the Lieutenant crazy. He remebered his conversation with the youngest of their group that morning, and rolled his eyes slightly as he continued to prod the fire.

"Sephiroth's amazing! I can't believe he actually talks to you. God, what I wouldn't give to have him talk to _me_," the kid had babbled, not picking up on the half glare that Zack had thrown in his direction. Sephiroth himself had then appeared, placing a hand on Zack's shoulder and squeezed it slightly in warning.

"You're beginning to green, Lieutenant," He said softly, before walking away as quietly as he had appeared.

"Oh my God!" the cadet gaped enviously.

"...what?" Zack snapped.

"He _touched_ you!"

"Only because I was greening."

"Why were you greening?"

"Because I haven't killed anything in awhile, and I'm feeling the desire to..." Zack said flatly, the cadet's face paling, as the small brunette shut up promptly. He would have to use that trick more often. It wasn't envy that got him into such a state when people idolised Sephiroth, it was the mere fact that Zack knew how Sephiroth took it. You had to get to know the General to realise that he wasn't cold hearted or as evil as all those made him out to be. No, it wasn't anything like that at all. Sephiroth was just so socially awkward that he chose to use a flat expression to avoid any offensive behaviour.

Zack snorted a little at an experience the pair had had back in Junon. The first class SOLDIERs were discussing the loss of second class friend, after he had been killed stepping on a land mine on patrol at Wutai. The young boy had been sent over with the Turks, and it had been considered an honour to attend Wutai whilst he was still in second class. He'd been trying to fight opposing Wutai warriors, and stumbled into a ditch.

"Yeah, he was a really good kid... fought to the death with that killer kanata of his. He was a gun at it. He died doing what he loved..." One of the accompanying Turks had sighed softly. Sephiroth, who had been standing in observational silence, had began to laugh softly then, many of the first class' throwing disapproving and somewhat bitter looks in the General's direction. Zack had pulled Sephiroth aside in a hurry and asked him what the hell he found so funny about their companion's death, and he had smirked widely.

"Kanata? What kind of second rate weapons training is Tseng providing?" Sephiroth smirked silently to himself a little longer, before stopping when Zack shook his head.

"You don't laugh when people are talking about other people _dying_," Zack had sighed, Sephiroth raising his eyebrow in confusion.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. They think that's what you're laughing about."

"But Private Jacobson was a fantastic SOLDIER. I was distressed to find of his passing," Sephiroth said in confusion.

"Yeah, _I _know that. But... you were laughing. They think you thought it was funny," Zack explained, Sephiroth seemingly reaching his realisation.

"Mmm."

"Yes, mmm. Go and apologise."

"Excuse me?" Sephiroth said sharply, never one to accept orders.

"Look, I'm sorry, but you don't want these guys hating you. For your own benefit, would you please go and apologise, General Sephiroth sir?" Zack sighed, Sephiroth pausing slightly, before nodding and returning to the group. It was not the first or last time Zack would have to teach Sephiroth the normal way of approaching situations, and it was far from the last time he would plead with Sephiroth to apologise.

"Zachary Fair," A voice said gently, Zack turning from his thoughts to face an elderly woman, as she gingerly sat beside him and also poked at the fire. She wore a long robe with tassles along the edges, and fine stitched patterns around the waist. Her long grey hair hung loosely across her shoulders, and her dark sun kissed skin was wrinkled severely across her face. Despite her outright... well... old appearance, her eyes and gentle smile were full of youth and energy.

"Uh... Yeah?" Zack cocked his head a little.

"You should be in Midgar."

She smiled softly, and threw some kind of powder into the flames.

"I... should?"

"You reside there, I am correct?" She asked, and Zack nodded.

"Kind of. I'm there for my training. I work there. I was actually born in-"

"Gongaga. Yes, I am aware. It is beautiful there. The trees are plentiful and the grass is green. A friendly neighbourhood."

"Uh, yeah. Have you been?"

"No, I have only heard stories. Gongaga is well known with the planet."

"Right..." Zack grinned. Perhaps Cosmo Canyon wasn't so boring after all. Any place with a few loopy old people was sure to have some laughs involved.

"Yes. Your General has suggested you come to learn, and yet, you are only postponing the inevitable."

"The inevitable?"

"A boy. The producer of rain, with the colour of wealth and the pools of the sky. He is your ummei, your destiny," She laughed a little, "And he is in desperate need of guidance."

"What are you on?" Zack snorted, perhaps a little rudely, but the woman laughed lightly with him.

"I am on the correct wavelength with the planet, Zachary. It speaks to me, and it tells me of the days to come," She smiled, prodding the fire again.

_...She's freaking cuckoo, that's what she is..._

"O...kay then. What does it say is coming for me?" Zack asked, and she smiled softly, sadly.

"The meeting of both of the planet's saviours. The capture of your dearest friend. The birth of a bond that has forever been written in the stars," She said, turning her gaze from Zack as she threw more of her mystery powder into the fire and poked at the flames, "Many things."

"The capture of my dearest friend?" Zack asked, an uneasiness creeping across him at the surity of this woman's voice and the knowing gaze she held with the flames.

"It is a forsaken tale, my dear."

"What do you mean though? My dearest friend?"

She lifted her gaze from the fire and turned it to the stairs ascending the village's mountain side. Zack followed it with his own eyes, as they fell upon silver strands blowing in the wind, Sephiroth talking animatedly with an elderly man.

"Sephiroth? I doubt that anything could ever capture Sephiroth..." Zack replied, shrugging lightly.

"Tell me, Zack. If nothing in the world would ever surpass your own power, if the only one who could trouble you met your gaze every day, who would your most ominous enemy be?" She asked, her eyes filling with a pained expression as she threw even more powder into the flames.

"You wouldn't have an onimous enemy, if nothing in the world could surpass your power," Zack replied, and she shook her head.

"You are still young Zack. The answer will reach you far too late."

"Then why are you telling me?" He asked, frustration penting at the mysterious figure, her soft smile creeping further across her face. He gazed at the fire where he thought he saw a flash of blue, and she laughed lightly, the Lieutenant drawing back slightly from the flames.

"Ah, you saw, yes? That is why. That is the key, Zack. You are destined to meet, but other then that, the path you take is yours to decide," she smiled, and he shook his head.

"You're insane..." he muttered, and she nodded.

"Perhaps. But, if you should take anything from these words I speak Zack, take this," She paused, turning to face him and taking his hand, "Destinies are always bound to start together, my dear, but it is our choices that guide them."

"Zachary?" A smooth voice interrupted, the old woman turning to face the intrusion. Sephiroth looked down at her, and she smiled sadly, taking his hand in hers.

"General Sephiroth," She said softly, and he nodded, seemingly uncomfortable with the stranger's touch, "They will both forgive you in time."

"Excuse me?" Sephiroth replied, a hint of confusion darting through his eyes.

"One will join the lifestream with your name in his thoughts. The other shall hesitate in every battle you have, even when he takes your life," She sighed softly, dropping his hands and heading from the fire, not bothering to look back, "I am tired, however. I hope you have enjoyed your stay, SOLDIERs..."

With that, she took her leave without a further word, her shoes scuffing along the dirt as she disappeared into a hut. Sephiroth looked as puzzled as Zack felt, as he opened his mouth in confusion.

"Who was th-"

"She's a little crazy Seph, don't worry," Zack beamed, Sephiroth's face screwed up slightly in uneasy concern.

"What did she say to you?" He asked, the pair heading for the town's exit.

"Nothing all that major. The ramblings of an elderly woman," He grinned again, "Can I drive the car?"

Sephiroth then launched into a lecture about the responsibilities of Zack as a SOLDIER and the reasons behind it as to why he couldn't drive the car. Zack was barely registering any of the words, the one image of that flash of blue within the flames looping through his mind.

* * *

"Seeeeph!" Zack whined, the General throwing him a steely look, the first class SOLDIERs beside him withering under the glare.

"Lieutenant Fair."

"I just don't see why we have to be here, when all you have to do is say a few nice words and shake the president's hand. It seems kind of pointless to be up here and being gawked at by seventy or so pe-"

"You'll be paired up with cadets, Zachary. The president has told you that this is how the system will work from today onwards. There's little point in your blatant denial," Sephiroth replied flatly, Zack sulking in his chair, before a flash of light caught his attention. Several of the cadets had just walked in and were joking with each other, one of them taking photos whilst they did so. They filed into the first row, and Zack's eyes immediately settled on the thinnest of the group, who was seemingly trying to make himself as inconspicuous as possible. He had bright blonde hair which hung slightly around his face, fine pale skin, a gentle smile and deep green eyes. He had a feminine prettiness that had Zack peering from behind Sephiroth's coat to try and get a better look.

"God Zack, have you got your eyes set on one already?" Damien smirked from his left, poking at the Lieutenant's side.

"Shut _up_ McConnahy," Zack snorted, playfully swatting at the teasing hands of his roommate. The redhead turned his attention to where Zack was gazing and let out a low whistle.

"That little blonde, hey?" Damien smirked, and Zack rolled his eyes, "He's a stunner, I'll give him that."

_...Yeah, I'll give him that too..._

"He's a bit too young for you, Damo," Zack smirked, the older SOLDIER feigning offence at the statement.

"Just because you're a mere puppy in comparison to all of us old dogs, doesn't mean you can be cheeky," Damien huffed, Zack playfully punching him on the arm.

"You like your toy boys, ey?" Zack winked, and Damien snorted.

"I've been chasing your ass for months now. I'm hurt you haven't noticed." Damien frowned, placing a hand over his supposedly broken heart.

"Major McConnahy?" Sephiroth said, not bothering to turn around, Damien tensing slightly.

"Yes General?"

"Regardless of how long you have been chasing Lieutenant Fair's... 'ass'... perhaps it is unwise to think that you're automatically worthy of his affections, considering your somewhat boisterous gallavanting within the SOLDIER program?" Sephiroth turned his head minutely, his lips curled slightly into a smirk. Zack burst into laughter as the few first class SOLDIERs who had heard the comment joined in.

"That's the nicest way of calling someone a manwhore that I've ever heard. I commend you, General!" Zack snorted, Damien pouting as he crossed his arms across his chest.

"Well I never!" He huffed, although he soon grinned, the General smirking briefly, before turning back to face the cadets.

Zack also turned back to facing the crowd and watched the blonde in the front row as he looked up at the General, a small smile on his lips. Oh God, he was another one. Most likely a Sephiroth clone. They all joined Shinra wanting to be just like him, but they were nearly all failures in the long run. This blonde, he was different to his peers surrounding him however. Whilst they constantly held their eyes on Sephiroth, not even tearing their gazes away to speak to eachother, the blonde was continuously turning his attention around the room. Zack startled slightly, as the deep green eyes latched onto him and the blonde offered that same small smile that he had worn earlier. Zack smiled widely and gave a small nod to the blonde. The blonde nodded also, before Sephiroth cleared his throat.

"Cadets, I trust you are eager to get proceedings underway..." He said, smoothly but firmly, all noise stopping as he nodded at the crowd.

"Welcome to Shinra. If all goes well, you will complete your training here and become part of the Shinra military services. In the case that you do exceptionally well, these men behind me are what you shall aspire to be. SOLDIER 1st class," Sephiroth gestured with his hand, Zack grinning at the nervous faces and giving a reassuring wave. Sephiroth's eyes snapped to Zack, a small smile flicking through the General's eyes and yet failing to reach his lips.

"If all goes _beyond_ exceptionally well, you shall not end up like the Lieutenant General behind me," Sephiroth said drily, a majority of the cadets laughing lightly, too nervous to do anything further. The blonde in the front let out a snort however, before covering his mouth.

_...I like this kid already..._

"It is because of this belief in the potential you all hold that we will be allocating a first class SOLDIER to each of you, as a mentor figure and a role model," Sephiroth continued, a murmur of chatter bursting at those words. The cadets had clearly not been expecting this, nor should they have been. Shinra had never done anything like this before, and the drastic approach to improving quality of SOLDIERs had caught even Sephiroth off guard. Zack could recall the flare of green in Sephiroth's gaze as Shinra had informed him of the plan. An insult to the quality of Sephiroth's fighters was an insult that hit hard.

"He's never even witnessed a single _one _of them fight. He lives off statistics and Tseng's reports," He had hissed after the president had left, Zack nodding silently, not sure how to deal with the General's mood as it was. Luckily he had calmed down relatively quickly, and simply dismissed Zack from duties for the rest of the day.

In the present time, Sephiroth waited for the chatter to die down, simply standing in all his regal glory as the cadet's came to the realisation that they were keeping the General waiting. They hurriedly sat in silence, their attention solely on the figure before them.

"SOLDIER is an elite force of fighters, I shall remind you, and whomever you are selected to be paired with shall be treated with the utmost respect and honour. Failure to do so will result in a class three punishment, and latrine duties," Sephiroth said coldly, many of the cadet's eyes widening at the tone, "Disrespect towards these first class SOLDIERs will not tolerated, and shall be seen as personal disrespect towards myself, with offenders reporting directly to myself."

Zack held back the urge to laugh, the cadets all staring in a stunned silence, many gaping at the thought of ever showing a shred of disrespect towards their hero. Sephiroth was lenient towards his first class fighters, and if any of them had asked to deal out a punishment to their understudies rather then have Sephiroth do it, he would accept in the blink of an eye. The cadets had little to worry about on Sephiroth's behalf.

"It is on that note that I hand today's proceedings over to the president," Sephiroth nodded, stepping away from the microphone as the cadets cheered, clapped and whistled at the silver haired General. Zack stood up and followed Sephiroth to the side of the stage as Shinra took the floor.

"You can't sit still for five minutes can you?" Sephiroth murmured, feigning interest in the president's speech.

"What a reassuring tone to leave them on," Zack teased, Sephiroth letting out a soft sigh.

"Keeping up appearances."

"Ah if only they knew that you have a soft spot for chocolate, or that your a bit of a fan of chocobos, or about that time you freaked out when you found a grey hair... By the way, how could you tell that it was a grey hair when your hair is-"

"_Zack_," Sephiroth said in his usual warning tone, the Lieutenant smirking. The truth was, Sephiroth really did have his quirks, just like everyone else. Yet, Zack accepted the privilege of being the only human being alive aside from Hojo who had ever seen Sephiroth's more human side. Even Sephiroth did not give away his quirks easily. The only way Zack had found out any information was by observation.

Zack had bought a block of rich Gongagan chocolate into the office one morning, leaving it on the table, where Sephiroth had eyed it off for a few moments, before pretending to be immersed in the reports on his computer screen. Zack had left to go on his lunch break and returned to find only two rows left, Sephiroth peering intently at the documents.

"Did you eat this?" Zack asked, Sephiroth flicking his eyes to the Lieutenant.

"It must have been the secretaries," came the distant reply. On searching for a document the next week however, Zack had found a block of the same chocolate in the General's drawer, already half eaten. It was from then on that Zack had begun buying two blocks of chocolate on his shopping trips, and slipping one into Sephiroth's drawer. The General never formally acknowledged the act, although on several occassions, there had been an extra block of chocolate in Zack's desk drawer as well.

Chocobos were another soft spot of the General's. Zack had been travelling with Sephiroth in the mountain areas up north when they had come across two bandersnatches and a chocobo. They had killed the beasts with ease and had captured the chocobo, Sephiroth rubbing a hand sublty along the bird's feathers, a smile playing along his lips.

"Are we gonna send this one back to the stables?" Zack had asked curiously.

"Too scrawny," Sephiroth had waved his hand in dismissal, giving the bird a quick pat on its flank and watching as it disappeared into the distance. They rarely ever caught a chocobo, and if they had, Sephiroth had always taken the time to personally deliver it to the stables. As for the grey hair fiasco? Zack had walked into Sephiroth's office one day to find the General holding what Zack had thought was cotton to begin with.

"Lieutenant?" Sephiroth had said softly, Zack moving to his side.

"Ya?"

"What colour is this hair to you?" Sephiroth asked, Zack taking the hair betwen his fingers and studying it.

"Silver?" Zack replied, Sephiroth shaking his head and plucking a hair from his scalp.

"No, this is silver..." He said, before placing the two beside eachother in Zack's finger. Zack studied them further, finding no discernable difference, and shrugged at the General.

"They look the same?"

"No, no. _This_ one is grey," Sephiroth insisted, gesturing at the first piece of hair he had presented the Lieutenant with a frown furrowing his brows.

"Are you... worried?" Zack smirked, Sephiroth raising an eyebrow and once again dismissing the Lieutenant's words.

"Not at all. I was simply seeing if Hojo had altered my sensitivity to colour," Sephiroth replied airily.

"Ah," Zack had smirked, before looking at the hairs once more, "You know, I think you're right, actually."

"Really?" Sephiroth had said a little too quickly, Zack snorting as Sephiroth scowled.

How the cadets would act should they know that their flawless General was terrified of early age colour loss would be somthing that Zack would likely never have the pleasure of witnessing.

"They look like a good group," Sephiroth said quietly from Zack's side, drawing the Lieutenant from his musings as the pair surveying the crowd with interest. Every year, they seemed to become more eager, and every year they would lose more SOLDIERs. Many of them had become reckless in their attempts at a hero status, especially after the Wutai war and the extra status boost for Sephiroth that had caused.

"They look a little jumpy," Zack sighed, smirking as he turned to Sephiroth, "Maybe you shouldn't come to these things after all."

The General considered the thought and nodded slightly.

"Perhaps."

He said it quietly, and Zack continued looking out across the massive group of cadets, most of them throwing sidelong glances in their direction. The idolisation of Sephiroth was something the General never understood or could relate to. Sephiroth himself had never had anyone to really look up to as a child, and he had set himself as the Shinra poster boy by the time he was twelve. Zack smiled slightly to himself. He too had been an admirer of Sephiroth, but unlike the rest of them, he had admired the General's characteristics rather then his looks. Zack had grown hearing the stories of Sephiroth, going from the age of nine to fourteen without ever knowing what the almighty General had looked like. He had been caught up in the thought of a person who didn't ever have to feel pain, worry about loss, who was capable and strong, and independent. It had been something Zack had always dreamed of becoming.

"I don't believe I ever will understand it, Lieutenant," Sephiroth said flatly, Zack turning his baby blues to the General in confusion.

"Understand what, sir?"

"The desire to lead the life I do," Sephiroth said quietly, expression blank, as his eyes swept over the cadets.

"You can't blame them, Sephiroth. Shinra works the media well. Young boys like this are shown all the glitz and glamour of your permission, whilst all the shit that goes on in reality is swept under the rug. They've got big hopes," Zack shrugged, Sephiroth clapping politely as the president wound up his speech.

"... So if all the cadets would like to make their way to the stage in single file, you will be randomly allocated a SOLDIER first class as your mentor," The president instructed, the cadets scrambling to the their feet in an attempt to get in line first. The president looked out over the mass of heads and gestured for the group to become a neater file. Zack scowled slightly as he saw a familiar head near the back of the hall, eyes raking along the cadets with something akin to hunger.

"Seph..."

"I've seen him," Sephiroth said somewhat coldly, his brows furrowing as Hojo nodded in his direction. Everytime there was a new batch of SOLDIER hopefuls inducted, their was a certainty of three people in attendance at that hall. Sephiroth, by order of the president, was usually designated for moral and the initial speech of the ceremony. Tseng, Commander of the Turks and loyal bodyguard to the presidential family, would always be in attendance, scoping the crowd for recruitment opportunities and potential dangers to the President's life. Then, there was Hojo, who would show up before the cadets arrived and disappear before they left. No one was ever really certain what Hojo hoped to achieve on this visits, although Sephiroth became visibily agitated on every appearance of the sadistic professor. Zack had the feeling that Sephiroth knew exactly what Hojo was up to, and yet he never said a word to the Lieutenant.

"He's a little eager this time around. Makes me feel a little edgy," Zack said suspiciously, Sephiroth nodding his head, the pair continuintg to gaze at the professor before he slunk once more back into the shadows.

"He's so freaking _creepy_!" Zack mumbled, Sephiroth snorting slightly, the gesture not going un-noticed by at least twelve of the surrounding cadets. All had turned to the source of noise with startled eyes. Zack could almost see their thoughts.

_'Was that the General? Did he find something funny? I had no idea he even laughed'_

"Aren't you meant to be over there, Lieutenant?" Sephiroth asked drily, finding amusement in the facial expression Zack had produced on the thought of having to deal with a flock of hyperactive teenage boys.

"I thought you said there were four extra SOLDIERs in comparison to the amount of recruits?" Zack asked, Sephiroth holding back a smirk.

"You're really _that _eager to get out of this, Zachary?" Sephiroth mused, Zack scowling as he huffily crossed his arms across his chest and sulked.

"They're only hoping they get me so that they can have some kind of chance of talking with you anyway," Zack rolled his eyes, Sephiroth allowing his smirk to break through.

It was then that a mass of blonde hair had appeared before them, a hand snapping to the youth's head as he saluted the General and Zack himself. The Lieutenant was more then relieved to see that it was the blonde from before, smiling slightly up at the pair with wide eyes.

"General Sephiroth sir!" the blonde said a little shakily, although smiling softly, eyes never once leaving the General's gaze.

"Cadet," Sephiroth nodded, a hint of amusement in his voice, "What may we help you with this afternoon?"

"I was wondering if there were any other SOLDIER first class' available for the mentoring positions sir!" the blonde replied quickly.

"There is not enough for everyone?" Sephiroth mused, eyes flicking to the scowling Zack, "How unfortunate..."

_...You knew the whole time that I'd have to get stuck with a cadet, didn't you? You arrogant bas-_

"The numbers are mismatched, it seems. Everyone else has a first class but myself. Does that mean that I just go without, sir?" the blonde smiled, blushing slightly.

"Certainly not, recruit. It just so happens that my accomplice is a first class," Sephiroth smirked, amusement ringing through his voice as Zack gaped.

"Me?!" Zack spluttered, the blonde blushing furiously.

"I'm sorry sir, I didn't realise you were a first class. It was rude of me to overlook you," the blonde laughed a little nervously, "But I, uh... guess you're stuck with me, sir?"

The blonde then flashed a wide smile and scratched the back of his head nervously, Zack grinning in return in spite of himself.

_...Oh? ...Well... I suppose I'll manage..._

Zack smirked before patting the blonde on the shoulder.

"Seems it. I'm Lieutenant General Zachary Fair, but should you choose to call me anything but Lieutenant, sir or Zack, I may very well have to kill you," He grinned, the blonde laughing nervously, as he took the Lieutenant's hand and shook it, his green eyes glittering as he did so.

"Recruit Cloud Strife, sir. Should you choose to call me anything but Cloud or Recruit, I suppose I'll learn to manage," Cloud smiled widely, drawing a laugh from Zack.

"It seems you may have very well met your match, Lieutenant..." Sephiroth smirked slightly, Zack nodding. This kid might turn out to be fun.

"I'll choose to take that as a compliment General. Thank you very much," Cloud smiled, that damnable blush returning, before he hurriedly excused himself to join his group, all of which were watching with wide eyes.

Sephiroth smiled slyly at the Lieutenant, drawing Zack's attention to him.

"What?" Zack asked blankly.

"You were staring, Lieutenant. As you were before the ceremony, during the ceremony, and as soon as he walked over here... And whatever happened to 'I shall never take a cadet under my wing even if he were the last one on Earth'?" Sephiroth asked coyly. Zack scowled slightly, before turning his head to the side and staring at Sephiroth intently.

"What?" Sephiroth asked, just as blankly as Zack.

"I just thought..." Zack began, trailing off as he reached out and plucked a hair from the General's head, the pale face losing even more of it's colour as Zack did so.

"Does that look grey to you?" Zack asked, before handing Sephiroth the hair and walking off, smirking at the knowledge that the General was about to spend an hour or so scouring every hair on his head for loss of colour.

* * *

"An hour?"

"An hour."

"But it's only been like three days?"

"An hour from now, Lieutenant."

"Well Shiva be damned, Shinra's gotten a bit obsessive over this, yeah?"

"Moderately, and _stop_ that..."

Zack was lounging on the couch in his and Sephiroth's office, absent mindedly tossing and catching the General's stress ball. Zack had found the amount of stress the General received from this act somewhat ironic, and so continued to do it.

"Stress less, yeah?" Zack grinned as he hung over the couch's arm and stared at the scowling General.

"I shall remind you that you have an hour Lieutenant, I suggest you start getting ready," Sephiroth said, his eyebrow twitching minutely in restrained anger, a sign that Zack should listen to each and every word the General was saying. Sephiroth was desperately trying to focus on the application forms before him, and Zack had probably not been helping the matter.

"Today?" Zack repeated, pushing his luck just that little bit further.

"Yes, today!" Sephiroth snapped, Zack pouting as he sat up and threw the ball to Sephiroth, who caught it whilst he was otherwise preoccupied with his paperwork.

"Hey, that was pretty cool," Zack grinned, Sephiroth making his 'I'm not listening' face, before the Lieutenant settled himself in the chair across from the General.

"Technically I'm still on holidays, you know," Zack pouted, Sephiroth lifting his eyes slightly, his characteristic smirk appearing.

"I think you don't mind it all that much. You now have the opportunity to hold a proper conversation with that blonde. What was his name, again?" Sephiroth asked airily.

"Cloud..." Zack answered a little too quickly, Sephiroth returning to his paperwork, scribbling something down as his smirk widened.

"Besides, the sooner you being this program, the sooner you can attempt to effectively 'ditch' your protege," Sephiroth suggested, Zack nodding.

"Yeah, sounds like a pretty decent plan. Shit you're clever when you want to be," Zack grinned, Sephiroth rolling his eyes slightly.

"I prefer to follow thought processes rather then take your 'affectionise now, rationalise later' approach," Sephiroth replied flatly.

"You love my hugs, I swear it!" Zack teased, Sephiroth raising his eyes once more to glower in Zack's direction.

"I'm going! I'm going!" Zack sighed, rolling his eyes and picking up his duffel bag, giving a wave as he left the office, Sephiroth returning the gesture without looking up.

The truth of the matter was that Zack had been looking forward to today since the moment he'd laid eyes on the blushing blonde three days earlier. The blonde had been showing up everywhere, whether it was in the cafeteria, at the training gym, in the study halls, or in the middle of Zack's dreams. Night times that had previously spent filled with dreams of chocobo racing and bandersnatch battles were now plagued with visions of the blonde. Cloud laughing with his friends, Cloud trying to slink into the ceremonies hall un-noticed, Cloud's cheeks gently tinged with a pink blush.

_...God, get over him already, you know nothing about the kid..._

* * *

Zack pushed open the door to the training hall and was greeted almost immediately by the blonde, who was smiling softly, wooden practice sword in his hand.

"Lieutenant!" the blonde saluted, Zack shaking his head as Cloud lowered his hand.

"Nah kid, you don't have to salute me," Zack grinned, "I'll let you off. It makes me feel like you think I'm better than you."

"I _do_ think you're better than me," Cloud snorted, Zack smiling further in return.

"You're kidding! I grew up in Gongaga for crying out loud. The most education I ever received was 'how to rope a bull 101'," Zack sighed, Cloud grinning widely.

"Gongaga? That's a pretty sleepy town yeah?" The blonde queried, Zack nodding, "Yeah, so's mine. Not a thing in the world to do in a place like that."

"Where'd you grow up?"

"Nibelheim."

"Ah, I've been there once with Seph. It's kinda nice though, with the mountain backdrop and stuff," Zack shrugged, Cloud nodding, his smile somewhat sad now.

_...Eek, no... Do not like... Come on kid, perk back up..._

"So do you fight like a country boy, or do you fight like a SOLDIER?" Zack teased, Cloud raising a challenging eyebrow.

"What is _that_ meant to mean, sir?" He smirked, Zack flicking the wooden practice sword.

"Can you actually use this thing or is it just for show, recruit?" Zack cocked his head, maybe a little too arrogantly and gestured for Cloud to take some practice swings at the designated targets. The blonde damn near decapitated one of them with his first few swings, Zack grinning widely.

"You know, you're not so bad," Zack shrugged.

"Thank you sir! Could you maybe teach me some defence moves though?" Cloud smiled hopefully, the pale cheeks tinging pink slightly, as Zack tore his gaze away. What was it about this kid that was already driving him up the walls? He ruffled the blonde hair a little and playfully punched the blonde's arm.

"No worries Cloud. How about grabbing a bite to eat or something first though? The cafeteria's still open and General stuffypants denied me breakfast this morning," Zack sighed, Cloud snorting at the mere manner Zack spoke of the almighty General.

"Sure. Although I'm starting to learn not to trust the labels they keep on everything..." Cloud screwed up his face a little, Zack nodding his head in agreement.

"It's usually safe though. Just don't eat anything with the word 'surprise' on the label," Zack warned, "Cause that's exactly what you'll get."

"I think I could learn a lot off you, you know?" Cloud smirked, Zack snorting at the statement.

_...I hope so kid..._

They'd spent almost four hours together, almost double the required time, Cloud tailing Zack like a shadow. The Lieutenant hadn't minded in the slightest. As well as being naturally gorgeous, the kid had a flair to him that made it impossible for Zack not to get along with him. Zack had been hanging out for the one thing however, which Cloud had yet to reward him with. Whenever they spoke, Cloud continued to refer to Zack as Lieutenant or sir. Even as they had been chatting casually over their cafeteria trays, Cloud had kept the addressing issues to a formal system.

"You can call me Zack you know?" Zack had hinted, grinning at the cadet as he ate his salad.

"I know, sir," Cloud shrugged in reply, stabbing a tomato, his green eyes glittering with some kind of hidden knowledge.

Now, however, Zack was walking Cloud back to the blonde's quarters and happily chatting about the fine quality of Gongaga's food.

"From chocolate to chicken, it's the best stuff you'll ever taste, Spike," Zack grinned, Cloud raising an eyebrow.

"Spike?"

"Ya. Your hair, you know? Do you spike it yourself?" Zack asked, the blonde letting out a soft sigh.

"Nope. It does this..." he gestured, flicking the jagged hair, "Of it's own accord."

"It was all flat the other day though?"

"Ah, well, the boys thought it would be fun to gel it down. It only just managed to last the day before it sprang up again," Cloud snorted, "And you're not really one to talk anyway."

"Chicks dig spikes, what can I say?" Zack laughed, running a hand along his own unruly locks.

"This is my place," Cloud smiled, stuffing his hand in his pockets and fumbling for the key, "Thanks for walking me home sir."

"Yeah, no problems Spike. I'll see you tomorrow I guess?" Zack suggested, the blonde nodding as he unlocked the door finally and kicked it open.

"Sounds like a plan. Thanks Lieutenant!" he grinned, slipping inside and closing the door behind him.

_...My pleasure... Cloud..._

* * *

**A/N:** This is in the process of being edited to be a little less... childish. This is what happens when you start to write a story at the age of seventeen. Why did nobody tell me how obsessed with ellipses I was? It was almost painful to re-read.

If anybody happens to read this who is already a reader and is re-reading: I am editing it all because I am planning on updating soon.

SURPRISE!


	2. Surprises

Woot, you guys are making me big happy time. lololol. Eh, I need to learn English again, I think. Your reviewing has made me squee so much I've fogotten how to speak.

Ok, so, because this is fanfiction, I'm playing with ages a bit. JUST A LITTLE. xP I know that Nibelheim happens when Cloud is 16, but no. lol. NOT IN THIS ONE.

I HAVE THE RIGHT. lol.

Warnings:** Language. blah blah.**

**Yaoi. Yeah. Mmmmm... Later chapters though, ok? **

_Summary Chapter 2- Rendezvous_

_Zack's being followed in his dreams by the same mysterious woman from Cosmo Canyon, who continues to guide him towards a blatantly obvious goal. Zack finds out some information from a board meeting and finds out a little more about Cloud because of it. I suck at summaries. No really, I do. _

--

_She reached out for him, her hand old and wrinkled, and those eyes still alive with youth and knowledge. _

_"Zack... did you listen?"_

_He nodded, before reaching out his hand and taking hers. She pulled him towards her, shaking her head._

_"No, you didn't really, did you?"She sighed softly, as they were once again sitting by the fire of Cosmo Canyon. Zack looked into the flickering flames, the flash of blue flickering once again as she threw some of her mystery dust into the flames._

_"What is that stuff anyway?" Zack queried, peering at the small purple bag from which she grabbed another handful. She also threw that at the flames and laughed lightly. _

_"I had been looking forward to meeting you, Mister Fair. I had known that you would be so full of energy. It is refreshing in my old age..." She smiled softly, poking the flames with her stick and frowning slightly._

_"Ah..." She sighed, turning her face to Zack and nodding, "He has not yet entered your life as he should have."_

_"Who? What are you talking about?" Zack sighed in impatience, "You're all really cryptic you know? It's enough to drive a guy nuts..."_

_She laughed again and patted Zack's hand. _

_"Your ummei! Your destiny, Zack Fair. He has yet to grace your life in his entirity. The producer of rain, with the colour of wealth and-"_

_"The pools of the sky, yeah I know..." Zack scowled, as the woman laughed once again. _

_"Ahhh! He did listen..." _

_"I told you I did!" Zack sulked._

_"If you had really listened, you would realise now. The pulling force you feel is the planet itself, guiding you, through the lifestream. What it truly means to you however, that is your choice, Zachary. Either way, in the storm of corruption, and in the rain of metal, he shall be by your side to carry on the legacy. For you. For the planet..."_

_"Remember what I told you about being cryptic?" Zack frowned, as the old woman stood to her feet and offered her hand once more to the Lieutenant, laughing all the while._

_"Then also remember what I have said, my dear. Destiny's are always bound to start together, but it is our choices that guide them..." She smiled, turning her gaze to the fire as Zack did the same. It flickered blue again, and Zack watched it for a few moments, his attention turning to the old woman. _

_"That is the key. It is the secret of the moment Zack, and your only barrier... Remove the barrier and let the spirit escape..." She smiled, before taking Zack's hand in her own and squeezing it, "It is always a pleasure to have you visit..." _

_"Visit? But you came to me..." Zack said in confusion, before a shrill noise rang clear._

Zack sat bolt upright in his bed, the alram clock screeching at him relentlessly, the images of an elderly woman still floating within his mind.

"I'm even dreaming of the old kook now..." He muttered to himself, swinging his legs over the side of the bed, before promptly falling to the floor in startled surprise.

"Jesus Christ Sephiroth!" He snapped, the General laughing lightly before he pulled Zack to his feet.

"That comment better not have been directed at me, Lieutenant..." Sephiroth quirked an eyebrow, as Zack dusted himself off, glaring at his commanding officer.

"And even if it was, you shouldn't have _been _here to hear it!" Zack snapped, "What the hell are you doing in my room?!"

"Shinra has made it a point for me to retrieve you for this morning's meeting..." Sephiroth explained, handing Zack his uniform.

"Meeting? But I didn't think we even had a meefting tofay?" Zack replied, his voice muffled as he struggled into his combat gear.

"There were none scheduled, but the president has demanded we be there by nine. I suggest you hurry..." Sephiroth sighed, watching Zack hopping on one leg as he tried to pull on his pants. 

"I don't even know why I get dragged along to these meetings..." Zack scowled, falling back onto his bed and pulling on his boots, "All I ever seem to end up doing is drinking their coffee, eating their food and nodding along with everything you say..."

"They have butter cake today..." Sephiroth smirked.

"Guess we'd better hurry then, right?" Zack grinned cheerfully, pushing aside any thoughts of his dream as Sephiroth followed him down the hall.

--

They sat around the large table, Zack yawning more often then not, with Sephiroth himself stifling a few of his own. For Zack, Shinra had seemingly become a big fan of pointless meetings, and the executives gathered today seemed to have met the same realisation. Tseng, Commander of the Turks, was standing rigidly beside Rufus Shinra and gazing blankly out the opposite window, whilst the Vice President himself picked idly at his nails. As for Scarlet and Heiddeger, the pair were talking animated amongst themselves, quiet not to speak loud enough to draw attention from the president. Zack caught the bored gaze of Professor Hojo, who rolled his eyes slightly in the direction of the president, Zack relucatant to admit that he was agreeing whole heartedly with Hojo's opinions. In fact, the only one who seemed to be paying any attention at all was Reeve.

"Mister President, the sector seven funding scheme to increase the overall living standards of the people there hasn't been getting enough attention as we would like it to, sir!" Reeve pressed, the president raising an eyebrow at the mere brashness of the Wutaian.

"And you expect me to focus my resources on something as petty as funding for the common citizen? Please Reeve, be realistic..." The president scoffed, taking a sip from his coffee before rounding his attention to Sephiroth.

"General," He began, Sephiroth letting out a barely audible sigh, "How have the SOLDIER preparations been coming along in regards to the new training system we have implimented?"

"Is that in regards to the SOLDIER buddy system, or the re-allocation of specified SOLDIER funding, sir?" Sephiroth said drily, several of the surrounding executives picking their attention up at the possibility of a looming conflict. Shinra laughed however, shaking his head before running a finger through slick blonde hair.

"The buddy system, Sephiroth, of course..." Shinra replied somewhat firmly. Sephiroth reclined further in his chair, his apparent dislike of the meeting's direction seemingly un-noticed by the president.

"It may be too early for me to personally see any results..." Sephiroth said vaguely, "Perhaps Lieutenant Fair may be better suited to that question..."

Zack resisted the urge to cry, kicking Sephiroth's leg under the table instead, pulling no other reaction from the General than a growing smirk.

"Very well Zachary, perhaps you can inform us of the system's progress?" Shinra pressed, "You are buddied with a recruit yourself, correct?"

"Yes sir..." Zack replied, breathing in deeply and letting out a long sigh.

"Well, talk about your recruit then, Lieutenant..." Shinra frowned slightly, impatience clearly ringing through his voice.

"Recruit Cloud Strife sir. He's a young guy from Nibelheim with a lot of heart and potential. He has a preference for wielding blades, although he has a relatively good shot..." Zack shrugged slightly.

"How is his speed and accuracy?" Tseng asked, as Zack turned his eyes to meet the Commander's gaze. Usually, if Zack came across individuals like Cloud, he would automatically recommend them to Tseng for Turk selection. It was a mutual system that the pair had set up, regardless of the amount of time the two ever came in contact.

_...Not a chance in hell with this one..._

"He's uh... pretty average really... He's got the kind of skills suited for SOLDIER though, so he should be ok..." Zack replied, Tseng losing interest at the words and leaning instead to whisper something in Rufus' ear.

_...sucker..._

"So, do you believe that the amount of time you spend with this recruit will influence the capabilities he possesses?" Shinra asked airlily, Zack nodding.

"Yes sir. He just needs a little bit of a guiding hand, I guess..." Zack replied casually, a sudden though ringing through his ears.

..."_He is your ummei, your destiny... And he is in desperate need of guidance"..._

_...Nah... she was crazy, I don't even know why I bothered listening..._

"...for the rest of their cadetships. Does that suit you, Lieutenant Fair?" Shinra asked, Zack realising he had once again missed a vital piece of information.

"Say no..." Sephiroth smirked quietly, clearly realising Zack had not been listening.

_...Yeah, right... say no and look like an idiot..._

"That should be fine, President. Sounds like a great idea actually!" Zack beamed, Tseng raising an eyebrow.

_...shit... what did I say..._

"Then it is settled. Sephiroth, I am hoping both you and Lieutenant Fair will be able to inform the recruits of their new living arrangements with their mentors?" Shinra asked.

"Of course, president..." Sephiroth smirked widely, as Zack felt the colour drain from his face.

"Living... arrangements..." Zack choked.

"Yes, with their mentors. All of the recruits would benefit from it, we believe. You yourself said it was a great idea, Lieutenant..." Sephiroth explained, a smirk still dancing along his lips as Zack kicked the General's shin once again.

"Is there a problem with that, Lieutenant?" Shinra scowled, forcing Zack to shake his head solemnly.

"Not at all sir..."

"Then it's settled. I think that's all for today. Meeting adjourned, I shall see you all tomorrow at noon. Dismissed..." Shinra drawled, standing and leaving the room, Rufus and Tseng following suite.

"You _bastard_!" Zack hissed, Sephiroth patting Zack's arm mockingly.

"What a fantastic opportunity for you, Lieutenant. And how considerate of you to sacrifice half of your living space for another... so selfless. I am impressed..." Sephiroth smiled deviously, Zack standing abruptly and heading for the door.

"Be sure to ask for an extra bed Lieutenant. God forbid if the boy has to use that couch of yours for any amount of time..." Sephiroth called, as Zack slammed the conference door behind him.

--

Deep green, like the colour of raw mako itself, and just as bright. Zack was having trouble describing the wide eyes that were latched onto his in startled surprise.

"I'm going to be... _living... _with you?" Cloud gaped, the blonde seemingly awestruck by the sudden news.

"Presidential orders, apparently..." Zack muttered, as a mousey brunette came to stand beside Cloud in the training hall.

"Does that mean that I'll be living with Colonel Winters?" he asked quietly, Zack nodding in reply. The brunette grinned widely and nudged Cloud's sides.

"Hear that Cloud, hear that? I get to live with Colonel _Winters_... He's so... **cool**!" The brunetted almost squeaked, and Zack snorted.

"You got a bit of a thing for the Colonel hey?" Zack asked, the brunette glowing brightly, "Ah, that's a yes..."

"You won't tell will you?!" he gaped, Zack snorting again.

"Scout's honour. But I gotta tell you, you're barking up the wrong tree a little..."

"Why?"

"Sorry kid, but you'd have to pry him off that gorgeous babe of a girlfriend he has..." Zack grinned, before ruffling the kid's hair, who blushed even brighter. He then frowned and slinked away, muttering a goodbye to Cloud.

"Be careful sir, he'll latch on to you if you're not careful..." Cloud smirked, Zack scratching his head a little awkwardly.

_...Be a heck of a lot better if you wou- ... what? No... I totally don't see guys that way... _

_... Who am I kidding, I always have..._

"Yeah, God forbid. Anyway, come on spikey, we gotta get you all nice and cosy. General Stuffypants has relieved you all from training to let you get settled in..." Zack grinned, Cloud shrugging, before he threw down the wooden practice sword and slung his bag over his shoulder.

"Let's go then, roomie!" Cloud smiled.

"Let's mosey!" Zack grinned, before Cloud burst into a fit of giggles.

"'Let's mosey'? Holy crap... and they actually expect me to _live_ with you..." Cloud snorted, causing Zack to start laughing himself.

The pair had made it to Cloud's quarters with little difficulty, the blonde shoving all his belongings into the one overly large suitcase as he moved into his bathroom.

"You've got toothpaste and stuff, yeah?" Cloud called, his voice echoing against the tiles.

"Yup..." Zack replied distantly, as he flicked through the open photo book that Cloud had dumped on his bunk. A small black and white photo of a young boy with his hair combed neatly and a wide, charming grin stared out at Zack, and the Lieutenant grinned. It was short lived however, the album being snatched from his hands by a mortified Cloud.

"Urgh..." The blonde managed to groan finally, "I can't believe you saw that..."

"Was that baby Cloud by any chance?" Zack teased, as the blonde lifted a defiant eyebrow and scowled slightly.

"It might have been..." came the stuffy reply.

"Aw come on, you were a natural born cutie. They should have known from even then you'd grow to be a stunner..." Zack grinned, before realising what he had just said, and clearing his throat a little. Cloud snorted, and swatted at the Lieutenant with his photo album, before throwing it haphazardly into his suitcase.

"Flattery is _not _going to get you out of this, sir..." Cloud rolled his eyes, "You're stuck with me!"

"Damn..." Zack laughed, before picking up the suitcase and grinning at the blonde, "Come on Spike, we've got to be there by four or Stuffypants will crack a hissy fit."

"Right then... let's 'mosey'..." Cloud snorted, Zack flicking the blonde on the arm as they goofed their way to Zack's quarters.

--

"So... where do I put my stuff?" Cloud smiled as Zack kicked open the door, dumping the blonde's suitcase on the ground.

"Meh..." Zack shrugged, falling back onto the couch and flicking on the tv.

"I'll presume that 'meh' means anywhere I want?" Cloud shrugged, as Zack nodded, waving a hand airily at the blonde.

"Do what you feel like, Spike. that's the motto here..." Zack grinned, before reaching over and taking some chips off the table. He popped them in his mouth as Cloud disappeared and screwed up his face at the realisation that they were stale.

_...At least with the kid here, _something _will be a little fresh..._

"Aaaaah!" Came a sudden cry from down the hall, Zack leaping to his feet and rushing for the guest room, expecting to find Cloud beneath a cabinet or held captive by ninjas.

_...Ninjas? ... Gods Zack, you let your imagination run a little too wild..._

What Zack found however was a grinning Cloud with a small wooden object in his hand. It was rectangular in shape and looked as if it had been carved to hold-

_...Oh God..._

Cloud turned the wooden piece around to reveal Zack's primary school photograph, a giant toy sword slung over his back as he beamed at the camera, blue eyes sparkling as the sunlight hit them. His black hair was sticking up as unruly and wild as it always had, as his beaming grin revealed two missing teeth at the very front.

"Put it down, Cloud... and no one gets hurt..." Zack said quietly, as Cloud smirked deviously.

"Put it down? Now why would I want to do that... when it's so absolutely adorable?!" Cloud laughed. Zack lunged for the frame, a fraction too late, as Cloud pulled it quickly from the Lieutenant's reach, making a wild dash for the door and slipping past Zack's outstretched arms. The lieutenant chased him down the hall and thanked his speed as he launched himself across the floor, aiming for the blonde's legs. Cloud hit the deck, the frame skidding across the floor as the blonde landed with an 'oomph'. Cloud scrambled for the picture frame, Zack doing the same as he pinned the blonde to the ground and sat on the blode's chest as Cloud rolled over, still stretching for the photo.

"Success!" Zack cried, lifting the photo frame above his head as tears of laughter streamed down Cloud's face. Zack waved the photo tauntingly above Cloud's reach and smirked deviously.

"What's wrong, Cloud? You want it?" Zack asked mockingly, the blonde bucking slightly in an attempt to dislodge the Lieutenant.

"_Clearly..._ You're cheating sir! Get off me you tool..." The blonde whined, bucking slightly again, before Zack pressed his hand against the blonde's forehead, effectively pinning him further.

"And what if I were to get off you, huh? What would happen then?" Zack asked, raising an eyebrow, continuing to smirk, "Would you be good and forget about the photo?"

"You're kidding, right?" Cloud snorted, before wriggling underneath the Lieutenant a little.

"Well, keep reaching for it then!" Zack grinned, waving the photo above his head as Cloud continued to grab at the frame. The frame was then, in turn, snatched from Zack's hands by long, gloved fingers. Sephiroth raised a questioning eyebrow as Zack climbed off the sprawled blonde and grinned sheepishly at the General.

"Good afternoon cadet Strife..." Sephiroth smirked slightly, turning to face the blonde as Cloud also scrambled off the floor and saluted, "It seems you are fitting in quite comfortably."

"Yes thank you, General..." Cloud grinned sheepishly, "I was trying to hold that photo for blackmail purposes, sir..."

"I can see why..." Sephiroth replied drily, as Zack made a mad snatch at the photo. Sephiroth simply extended a hand and held the Lieutenant at bay, as he examined the photograph, a smile licking at his lips.

"You were somewhat... cute... Lieutenant," Sephiroth mused, "I can only wonder what went wrong..."

"Just cause you were blessed with the 'almighty hotness' gene, doesn't mean you can belittle us poor RUDS sufferers..." Zack scowled, as Sephiroth raised a questioning eyebrow.

"R-U-D-S. Reverse Ugly Duckling Syndrome. You know, you were born all cute and cuddly, then you became like... bleh..." Zack snorted, "Like the Ugly Duckling, but in reverse."

Cloud snorted too, before Sephiroth let out an exasperated sigh and rolled his eyes.

"Well, I was simply checking in. I should know by now not to be concerned when you fall asleep during the day, Lieutenant... The best of luck, Mister Strife. You shall need it with the Lieutenant, I can assure you..." Sephiroth said flatly, his voice revealing little, although his smirk in Zack's direction told a novel.

_...Yeah, go on and leave, bastard..._

Zack stood cockily, and gestured for the door. Sephiroth shook his head slightly and departed, as Cloud dusted himself off and turned, gaping slightly, to meet Zack's eyes.

"What?" Zack grinned, trying to force the little voice inside his head that said that any gaze from Cloud was a good one, and focus on the task at hand.

"I can't believe what he lets you get away with..." Cloud laughed slightly, and Zack shrugged.

"He's learnt that his big and scary act doesn't work on me, I guess..." Zack laughed, before Cloud stretched out languidly.

"I'm guessing considering you're first class and all, we have our own shower here? I'm really dirty after training, and I can't imagine that a sweaty recruit is all that pleasant to be around..." Cloud laughed lightly, the mere words sending several impure thoughts through the Lieutenant's thought at once. He kick-started his brain however, and shuffled to the linen closet, pulling out two towels for the blonde.

"Uh, yup! Here, take these. Just down the end of the hall. The taps are swapped around. The tap handle that says hot has the cold water, vice versa..." Zack shrugged. Cloud gave him a somewhat quizzical look, and Zack raised an eyebrow.

"Well... have you ever thought about just swapping the handles over?" Cloud asked, as Zack mentally kicked himself. Why had he never thought of that?

"What's the point of that now, hey?" Zack shrugged, "I'm used to it the way it is..."

"Fair enough..." Cloud shrugged, grinning as he flung the two towels over his shoulder and disappeared down the hall. Zack fell back onto the couch once again and let out a long sigh. He was tired, he was confused, and most of all, he was undeniably aroused. The continuous wriggling of the already muscular form underneath him had left him a little breathless and confused of the thoughts rushing through his head.

_...I barely even know him... Gods though, he is undeniably the most gorgeous man I've ever seen... I mean, he's only a few years younger than me, but he's just... grgh..._

Zack leant back on the couch cushions and listened to the water running from the shower, a slight smile playing along his lips.

"Cloud Strife... Sure to be the death of me..." He mumbled, pressing a cushion against his face from frustration, and falling promptly asleep.

_"Sleeping again Zachary?" Came the familiar voice. Zack smiled when he heard it, and she laughed._

_"Happy to hear from me?" She asked, as the elderly woman appeared once again, taking Zack's hands and pulling him to sit beside her._

_"Where's the fire?" Zack asked, as he gazed at the new surroundings of a darkened cave, the only light coming from a doorway above a nearby wooden ladder._

_"I am not there currently..." She smiled, as Zack raised a questioning eyebrow, "If I am not there, why on Earth would you be?"_

_She laughed then, before coughing harshly and reaching into her pocket for a piece of green chalk. _

_"Do you know what this is?" She asked wryly, as Zack took it from her hand._

_"Uh, chalk?" He shrugged, and she let out a small sigh, before laughing once again._

_"You are forever looking at exteriors before testing them, aren't you dear?" She smiled, gesturing at the cave wall before them. Zack held the chalk against it and drew a single straight line, the chalk dust glowing as he did so and creating scorch marks upon the stone._

_"Cool..." Zack grinned, the old woman laughing lightly. _

_"Yes. It's not just chalk is it?"_

_"No, but it looked like chalk and it felt like chalk. Is it like... fire materia?"_

_"You are observant, I see..." She smiled, taking the object from Zack's hand and beginning to draw on the cave wall._

_"I'm dreaming right?" Zack asked, and she gave him a mysterious smile in reply._

_"You may call it that, I suppose. Your body is resting, but the planet has bought you here."_

_"So, I'm like... a ghost?"_

_"A spirit of sorts. The lifestream carried you here, and it will send you back in about fifteen minutes, or so they say..."_

_"They?"_

_"How has life been in Shinra?" She asked suddenly, seemingly diverting attention from the original question._

_"Ok I guess. I have to do this mentor program thing..."_

_"Oh?" She smiled, continuing to draw. _

_"Yeah. I've got a guy called Cloud..." Zack smiled slightly at the thought of the blonde and the woman laughed. _

_"Ah, such a natural name. So in tune with the planet. Clouds, the giver of our water supplies..." She smiled, as Zack made a sudden realisation. _

_"Cloud... the producer of rain..." he said quietly, as the old woman continued to smile knowingly. _

_"What else do we know of Cloud, Zachary?"_

_"He's got blonde hair, kinda spikey, like mine."_

_"Yes, your ashen hair. The symbolism of the phoenix rising from the ashes and the beginning of a new life. Blonde you say? What kind of blonde? Like the blonde of a sandy shore, or the blonde of a mountain of gold?" _

_"Gold blonde. Really bright, gold..." Zack murmured, pausing again. He watched the old woman as she pat his back lightly._

_"You are now starting to pay attention I see..." She chortled._

_"Gold... the colour of wealth..." Zack gaped._

_"Destinys intertwined, my dear..."_

_"But... pools of the sky? What's that meant to mean?" Zack frowned, and she nodded. _

_"Reluctancy can be difficult. Those who fight destiny sometimes make it difficult for those whose paths they share. That is why the planet is helping the two of you... Today, Zachary..." _

_"Today?"_

_"The key, my dear. It will be presented..." She smiled, before grinning widely and clapping her hands together, "Aah! the planet is calling for you. Just in time, it would seem..." _

_She gestured at the picture she had been creating, and Zack gaped. It was a spitting image of Cloud, with the same jagged hair, the same thin face, with an identical grin and shining eyes. _

_"Cloud..." Zack said softly, and the old woman laughed._

_"Of course! Now, go..." she clapped her hands together again, as Zack continued to stare at the picture._

_"Cloud?" _

"Cloud...?" Zack murmured, his eyes opening to a bright and cheerful face as the blonde shook him lightly.

"Well duh, who else would it be, sir?" Cloud grinned, Zack sitting up on the couch, his eyes trying to focus on his surroundings as the blonde grinned at him.

"General Sephiroth called. He said that he expects you in his office by six tomorrow morning. Apparently some kind of mission has come up..." Cloud rambled, before he ruffled a towel through his unruly hair. It was then that Zack noticed the blonde did not have a shirt on, his skin still glistening slightly in the artificial light of the loungeroom. Zack stretched, attempting to avert his gaze as Cloud scowled suddenly.

"Shit..." He muttered, the Lieutenant returning his gaze to the blonde.

"What's up, Spikey?" He asked, before Cloud let out a sigh.

"I didn't take them out before my shower. I must have lost them..."

"Lost what?"

"You didn't notice?" Cloud teased, fluttering his eyelashes. Zack raised a questioning gesture at the apparently flirty gesture, before Cloud emphatically rolled his eyes. Zack continued to stare at the blonde, wondering what he was supposed to be noticing, as Cloud returned the gaze with his baby blues.

"I still don't get it..." Zack shrugged, before pausing.

_...baby blues?..._

"Oh!" Zack gaped, the blonde shaking his head.

"You're a little slow, Lieutenant..." Cloud sighed, ruffling his hair with the towel once more, as Zack watched with fascination. How could he not have noticed? The striking colour of the dazzling blue contrasting with the golden blonde hair was alluring to say the very least.

"I thought your eyes were green..." Zack said dumbly, Cloud shaking his head with a slight frown.

"Nah, Hojo gave us all these special contacts when we were signed up. He said that they increase our mako tolerance levels. He's gonna be so pissed if he finds out I've lost mine..." Cloud frowned, seemingly a little nervous.

"Nah, don't worry. Seph will speak to him if you like. He's just about the only one Hojo listens to apart from the Royals themselves."

"Royals?"

"Come on Spikey, they rule this place like an empire, not a city..." Zack sighed, "Rufus isn't so bad, but Shinra himself? Bastard."

"You _know _the president?" Cloud asked, his eyes widening slightly in surprise.

"Yeah, I'm in meetings with him pretty much every day..." Zack grinned, "We're meant to have one tomorrow. The best thing about them is the food though. The gals who bring in the food have some fine quality bak-"

"Can I come?" Cloud beamed, bouncing slightly on the spot as he waited for Zack to reply.

"...What?" Zack laughed, "You can't be serious. These meetings are hell!"

"I've never seen the president before. I haven't seen any of the executives either, except for Sephiroth and I think it was a Turk..." Cloud explained.

"Long dark hair, really deep kind of spookily piercing brown eyes and a snappy navy blue suit?" Zack asked, and Cloud nodded.

"Yeah, that's Tseng right? They say he never talks..." Cloud smiled widely, seemingly in awe of the mere fact that Zack knew these people.

"He talks all the time. Usually only to Rufus, but he's a real chatterbox..." Zack smiled softly, as he watched Cloud bounce a little more, before he turned to lock his eyes with Zack fully.

"Please sir? I'll be really good, I swear. I'm meant to be learning off you anyway, right?" Cloud pouted slightly, and all of Zack's resistance had pretty much died with that small gesture.

"That puppy-eyed shit doesn't work with me..." Zack mumbled, and Cloud snorted.

"Aw, I could have sworn you were gonna say yes for a moment..."

"I still am saying yes, just no more puppy face..." Zack sighed, and Cloud grinned.

"You're the best, sir!!" He cried, before flinging his towel over his shoulder, "I'll be back soon, ok?"

"Yeah... great..." Zack muttered to himself as Cloud disappeared down the hall.

That kooky old lady, was she right? Was this beautiful blonde bombshell destined to fall into Zack's care? He really didn't seem the type who was all that much in _need _of guidance. He seemed so sure of himself and as outgoing as Zack had been when Angeal took Zack under _his_ wing. Then again, it had turned out that Angeal's guidance had been the turning point of Zack's life. Maybe Cloud really did need guidance, he just didn't show it. Just like Zack never did.

_"Come on Zack, none of that..." Angeal had said softly, the cadet curling up against the wall and shaking his head violently._

_"I don't want to Angeal... he scares me..." Zack whined a little, tears threatening to spill from his eyes. _

_"It's just a tiny little injection, pup..." Angeal reassured, kneeling beside the quivering bundle of nerves that was Zack, who then proceeded to put on his best defiant face._

_"_You_ are not listening, Commander..." Zack huffed, "I said _he _scaes me, not _they_..." _

_"Hojo?"_

_"Urgh..."_

_"He scares you?"_

_"He keeps saying that he understands why you call me... that name... because I'd make a fine pet..."_

_Angeal's eyes had darkened as he placed his hand on Zack's head and ran his fingers comfortingly through the rookie's hair. _

_"I'll go with you from now on, puppy..." Angeal said quietly, and Zack had nuzzled slightly against the bulky frame._

_"You're the best, sir!" Zack grinned._

Zack let out an amused laugh.

_...Maybe he's more like me then even I realise..._

Zack lounged back on the couch again, browsing through the television channels and settling on some kind of sitcom. It was pointless really, as he was more focused on his own personal reflection. It had been less then a week since he'd looked out across that hall and spotted the spikey mass of blonde hair slinking quietly past his friends in an attempt not to be seen. Less then seven days since he'd locked on to those animated blue... well they were green really... eyes. Yet, here he was living with the cadet and nothing short of captive to the blonde's every move, every desire, every need. He had no intention as of yet to act on the more impure thoughts, almost certain that Cloud would have his fair pick of ladies rather then men, and yet he remained determine to be around the blonde merely for his company. Zack was going insane, surely.

_...Bonkers... I barely know this incredibly hot, incredibly charming, incredibly amazing in almost every aspect of the way boy... And I mean, he's not even comfortable enough to call me by my first name..._

Zack let out a long sigh, dropping his head back against the couch cushions, before meeting bright blue. Cloud had appeared behind the couch and was grinning down now at the Lieutenant.

"That was a big sigh, sir..." Cloud continued to smile, as Zack continued having difficulty sitting back upright.

_...That would mean loss of eye contact, and Gods, those eyes..._

"Ya, this is what SOLDIER does to you. You wanna take notes, kid?" Zack grinned, and Cloud rolled his eyes.

"Kid? You're not that much older then me you know..." Cloud sighed, and Zack raised an eyebrow.

"You're what, fifteen, right?" Zack grinned, the blonde snorting in response.

"Sixteen, actually. I'm guessing you're at least 22 to make it to first class?" Cloud shrugged, as Zack put on his best 'I'm offended' face.

"God, that's like... ancient!" Zack pouted, "How dare you even put me alongside _Sephiroth..._"

"Not 22 then?" Cloud smirked.

"Ew. 19 my friend..." Zack grinned, as Cloud gaped slightly.

"Oh wow, you made it to first class at 19?!"

"17, actually..." Zack shrugged, finally choosing to lift his head from the cushions and gaze at the television.

"Holy shit man!" Cloud laughed, before looking mildly panicked, "Sorry sir..."

"You live here now, Spikey. If the world comes to be a place where a man can't swear in his own house in front of his room mate, kill me quickly..." Zack smiled reassuringly, and the blonde fell into the empty chair to the left of the couch with a small sigh.

"I dunno sir, it's just that you're a superior officer like... waaaaay above me..." Cloud shrugged, a small shy smile gracing his features.

_...Phew... modest Cloud is __**gorgeous**__... I wonder what a bit of a blush would look like..._

Zack was pondering the best chance of making Cloud blush, before the blonde yawned loudly, stretching languidly against the leather, his muscles quivering and stretching beneath taut skin, and any other though left Zack's mind.

"So!" Zack cried, voice a little too high for his own liking, before he cleared his throat.

"Are you ok, sir?" Cloud asked in apparent concern.

"Yeah, I'm just uh... hungry... you know? You wanna go to the cafeteria and grab some food?" Zack shrugged, Cloud screwing up his face slightly.

"We don't have any food here?" Cloud asked hopefully, as Zack shook his head.

"Not unless you want potato chips for dinner... Seph said that his budget could not possibly include a weekly shopping trip, so it only comes every fortnight now..." Zack sighed, drawing a giggle from the blonde.

"Does the General live here?" Cloud asked, eyes widening slightly.

"Uh, no... he just you know... feeds me..." Zack shrugged, as Cloud gave him a puzzled look.

"Part of the deal of me doing his paperwork. He's got enough money to spare, I tell you..." Zack snorted.

"Oh, so he doesn't live here?" Cloud asked again, as Zack once again shook his head. The blonde let out a long breath and grinned.

"I was a bit worried I might be living with Sephiroth of all people..." Cloud laughed, "The truth is is that I never really know how to act around him... He's so... surreal..." "Fanboy crush?" Zack teased, as he held his breath. Cloud snorted however.

"Nah, those boys disgust me..." Cloud laughed, and Zack just about died inside. God, Cloud was becoming more attractive by the minute, and yet continuing to slip further into the 'no touchy' pile.

"Yeah, it's pretty gross the way those boys are..." Zack shrugged, forcing his most convincing grin, before Cloud let out a sigh.

"Yeah, I mean he's got pretty eyes and an alright ass, but he's not all that special. Yet, they loll around after him like his god and completely ignore the guys that are lolling after them..." Cloud sighed, Zack's mind reeling. Wait, hold up, was he actually admitting to being... you know...

"Some blind-sighted guy not giving you the attention you're after Spikey?" Zack pressed gently, and Cloud shrugged.

"Meh... I kind of gave up on him... He's one of those morons who thinks that the General will fall in love with them and provide them with gifts and romance, just because he happened to meet their gaze at an assembly..." Cloud shrugged, "I don't need someone like that, you know?"

"Yeah, I totally get that!" Zack grinned, his euphoria at his newly overcome hurdle almost bursting through his cheeks as he grinned, "Come on, we'll take our chances at the cafeteria, yeah?"

"If I die, send my dog tags to my mum, yeah?" Cloud smirked, and Zack shook his head a little.

"Come on drama queen..."

"I resent that, sir..."

"Zack?"

"No, I'm Cloud..." Cloud smirked, and the Lieutenant rolled his eyes.

"Eh, maybe one day..." Zack shrugged.

"If you're lucky, sir."

--

**A/N:** Woot. xD K, so we find out why spop made Cloud's eyes green. Only a little though. I'll go more in depth. Anyone wanna guess anything? xD

If there's one thing you people should always take from reading my stories, it is to NEVER TRUST HOJO. K?


	3. Conflict

The first of an entourage of updates!! YAY! lol.

It just shows you what a little guilt over such lovely reviews will do. lol.

ANYWAY! So, this is chapter three. I hope you're still sticking with me guys. x)

**Warnings:** I hate these so much. Remind **yourself **of what you're getting in to from all my other warnings. lol.

_Rendezvous- Chapter 3_

_Zack and Sephiroth are surveying cadet training when a problem arises involving Cloud. upon solving it, Zack works on putting the usual perk back in to Cloud, and ends up offering to help him with his studies, before receiving a visit from a familiar face. _

_I HATE YOU SUMMARIESSS._

Bon Apetit. -

--

"What's that for?"

"What?"

"That look..."

"...What look?"

"Oh come off it. That smug little smirk you have plastered all over that arrogant bastard face of yours..." Zack snapped, and Sephiroth merely raised an eyebrow in response.

"Me? I wasn't aware of such a thing..." He replied airily, and Zack scowled further. They were sitting on the roof of the Shinra guard building, looking out across the training fields for both the Shinra guard and SOLDIER. One of the guards in particular stood out to Zack from a mile away, and Sephiroth, ever the observant one, had somehow managed to pick up on this. The pair had been using this method to view the recruits and promising SOLDIERs after Sephiroth's last appearance had left thirty odd fighters rattled and paranoid, causing them to make mistakes. In turn, this left several over-eager cadets wounded in both pride and health. Zack had suggested the guard roof after climbing up there one sunny afternoon to avoid Sephiroth and a vicious pile of paper work he was trying to push onto the Lieutenant. Although the General had not been impressed at how Zack had discovered this place, he was rather impressed with the quality of detail from the vantage point. The best thing was that they were yet to be spotted, and it had become increasingly easy to pick the SOLDIER material from the non-SOLDIER material. Everyone tended to be on their best behaviour in the presence of Sephiroth or the Lieutenant, but if they were unaware that they were being watched, their personalities shone through.

"ANYWAY, bastard, that guy's a good fighter, he just seems like he's also a bully..." Zack remarked, eager for a change of subject.

"Bastard? I could have you discharged for that..." Sephiroth commented, and Zack snorted.

"Ya, then you can do your own paper work and train the young kiddies, hey?" Zack grinned, and Sephiroth grimaced.

"Oh... they're delightful..."

"'Oh General! You're so pretty! Please, let me shine your shoes, and make you coffee, and what's that? You have a spot on your ass you need kissing?'" Zack mimicked in a high pitched voice. Sephiroth rolled his eyes, a smirk creeping across his lips as Zack continued.

"'Oh General! Can I touch your hair? Can I raid your underwear drawer? Do you need anyone to gaze longingly at your ass for hours on end?'" Zack snorted, and Sephiroth gave him a quizzical look.

"I am somewhat confused by your sudden interest in my backside, Lieutenant..." Sephiroth said flatly, "Perhaps you should focus it on the usual target. You're training Cloud today, correct?"

"...Bastard..."

"Do not get me wrong. I like the boy. He keeps you out of my hair _and_ manages to keep you occupied with your duty as a SOLDIER, as well as getting you here on time. He's done better in a few weeks than I have the past few years..." Sephiroth mused, as he continued watching the boys below.

"He's a good kid..." Zack shrugged nonchalantly, and Sephiroth let out a soft sigh. He then frowned and stood on the rooftop, a concerned gaze marring his features.

"You okay Seph?" Zack asked, before turning his gaze to the training fields. Usually when Sephiroth's attention snapped to something, it was something that wreaked of danger. And his Sephy-senses latched onto danger like a beagle to cocaine. Zack scanned the fields, and noticed the direction in which everyone's gaze was following, as a flurry of motion reached his own gaze.

_...Speak of the devil, huh?..._

Cloud was sparring rather vigorously with a third class SOLDIER.

_...What are you doing Cloud? He's a heck of a lot stronger than you..._

It was then that Zack reached the same realisation that Sephiroth had. Cloud wasn't being sparred with, he was being attacked, and the flurry of motion was the blonde performing rather well in his own defence against the blows. His attacker being SOLDIER however, was faster, stronger, and better trained for combat than the small blonde. Zack felt a slight tinge of green burn through him, as he leapt to his feet.

"Hey!" Zack cried, moving to leap from the building top, before Sephiroth held him back, choosing to jump off of the eight story building himself. Zack jumped off soon afterwards however, tailing after the General. Sephiroth was too fast for the Lieutenant, however, and reached the scene before he did. His voice was quiet enough that Zack couldn't hear him as he approached, but the look on the third class SOLDIER's face had suggested that what Sephiroth was saying was not overly pleasant. Zack moved to Cloud's side, as the blonde lay sprawled across the grass, panting slightly and clearly angered.

"Hey Spikey, you ok?" He asked lightly, grinning down at the blonde, who in turn, turned his gaze to the grass as he pushed himself up. Had Zack not known any betterm he could have sworn Cloud was already receiving extensive mako treatments, as the blue pools glowed of their own accord.

"Yes sir. Thank you for your concern, sir..." Cloud said quietly, as Sephiroth continued to reprimand the SOLDIER.

"...and you dared to attack a guard member in the presence of your comrades? It's something never to be proud of, SOLDIER, and I have no choice but to punish you..." Sephiroth said smoothly, a hint of ice biting at his words.

"Y-yes sir..." The SOLDIER replied a little shakily, although clearly annoyed, as he saluted his superior officer.

"You are to be in my office by two pm. If you are so much as a minute late, you will be reprimanded further... Is that understood?"

"Yes sir..."

"I am glad..." Sephiroth said, before turning to one of Zack's fellow First class pals, Major Nidrie, who had just appeared on the scene.

"Sephiroth, may I ask what brings you here?" Nidrie asked, throwing a poisonous glance at the third class, who withered slightly.

"He is under your command, Lawson?" Sephiroth asked, and the Major nodded, "Lieutenant Fair and I witnessed him attacking this young recruit..."

Sephiroth gestured to Cloud, who was dusting himself off and throwing blatant death glares at the silent third class.

"What do you have to say about this, Smith?" Nidrie asked coolly, and the third class forced his gaze to meet his officer's.

"I was just practicing quietly with Moran, sir, and Strife came out of nowhere and tried to attack me. I was merely defending myself, sir..." the third class said flatly.

"You _liar_! It was completely the opposite!" Cloud cried, as the third class threw a warning look to the blonde. Several of the murmurs surrounding them quietly supported Cloud's story also, as the pair at the centre of it all remained quiet. Neither of the clear indications went unnoticed by both Sephiroth and Zack.

"It would appear you are not being entirely truthful, SOLDIER. I would strongly recommend not lying to myself or General Sephiroth, unless you wish to be punished further..." Zack said quietly, and the mako burst into the SOLDIER's eyes in an instant.

"But Sir!"

"Exc_use_ me?" Zack snarled, his own eyes beginning to flare. Insubordination angered him beyond all reason. It wasn't that he was specifically bothered by the fact that almost everyone in SOLDIER was _supposed_ to do whatever he said, but rather the matter of disrespect that went into disobeying an order. Zack treated everyone in Shinra with the utmost respect, and he had always expected the same in return. Not as a commanding officer, but as a human being. Smith was close to glaring as his eyes flared further. Zack considered that perhaps Smith had been living under a rock and didn't realise who he was speaking to, as Zack was in his casual gear. It was thrown out the window however, with the third class's next statement.

"You're believeing a runt like him over _me, _Lieutenant?! What kind of an imbocile are you?!" He cried, clenching his fists, as Nidrie's eyes burst into a green swirl, both he and Zack realising that the third class was intending to fight. Neither Zack nor Nidrie had a further chance at input however, masamune drawn and held against the SOLDIER's throat in less than the time it took for Zack to blink. Sephiroth's expression was void of emotion, as he watched the third class cower slightly.

"I believe that question is best directed at you, SOLDIER...You may head to your quarters and pack, I am relinquishing you of your title and any further Shinra participation. We do not need such filth within our program..." Sephiroth said coldly, masamune held as steady as a rock against the Third class' throat, "...I will not have you degrade mine or anyone else's authority at this company any more. Dismissed."

The Third Class stood for a few moments, before nodding and handing Sephiroth his sword. He then nodded again to Nidrie and Zack and slunk off to the SOLDIER barracks. As he did so, Nidrie turned to Sephiroth, his mouth gaping slightly as he tried to speak.

"Had he shown any signs of un-necessary violence?" Sephiroth asked first, as Nidrie nodded slightly, dropping his gaze.

"I'd mentioned it to Cooper, and he said it was nothing to worry about. Said he had a few third class' like that too, and it was just a bit of extra flair..." Nidrie said quietly.

"Lawson..." Sephiroth said, stern enough to draw Nidrie's gaze to his own, "You report to myself, Commander Tseng or Lieutenant Fair regarding SOLDIER behaviour. Do not leave the judgment of psychological assessment to any one else. Is that understood?"

"Yes sir..."

"I am somewhat disappointed Lawson..."

"Yes Sephiroth..."

"Do not let this happen again..."

"I won't, sir..."

"Carry on then..." Sephiroth nodded, as the cadet's began talking animatedly amongst themselves in hushed whispers.

"Ensure that Major Nidrie is not too discouraged please, Lieutenant..." Sephiroth whispered in the Lieutenant's ear, as Zack smiled a little.

"Yes sir..." He smiled slightly, before smirking as he added, "You big softie..."

"I am _not _a softie..." Sephiroth scowled, his 'I'm going to kill you' face making its appearance, "I have matters to attend to. Make sure everything is alright here Lieutenant."

"Alright sir softiepants..." Zack whispered, Sephiroth's frown increasing as he turned and headed for headquarters. He snapped at several cadets on the way past, who scurried out of his way in fear.

_...Nice try Seph, but you're still a big softie..._

Nidrie let out a long breath, as he placed a hand against his forehead and turned to Zack.

"Are you alright Major?" Zack asked softly, as the Major let out another long breath and frowned.

"Eh... I keep kind of royally screwing things up with Sephiroth... He really knows how to make a guy feel bad..."

"It's literally his job. You know how he feels about all of us, right?" Zack grinned, clapping the Major on the back.

Sephiroth's strange way of displaying affection to his first class was no secret, and had almost brought him undone on several occassions. His first class SOLDIERs were the closest thing that Sephiroth held to having a family, and he treated them with special privileges and rights that many people would kill to have. On several occassions, Sephiroth would treat the entire first class group, ten in all, to nights out on the town. He would pay for meals, alcohol, and later, the newly developed hangover cures that many of the first class' ended up requiring. First class SOLDIERs were also granted with the rare privilege of using Sephiroth's given name. Many of them still called him sir more often then not, but he knew all of his first class men on a first name basis, and had no problem with them treating him the same. First class SOLDIERs were treated as equals to the General, and there was no other honour considered to be higher. Zack had remembered Sephiroth's words from a private function the previous year, and had been somewhat moved at the time.

"Each of you are as much the General of this army as I am, and I am as much a first class as you all before me. We are one and the same, and I hand you my life with the hope you should do the same with me. We are an elite group, and that makes us a family. Family are equal, family are honest, family are loyal, and family are loving. Treat these men around you as your brothers, as I do with each and every one of you..." Sephiroth had said quietly, as he raised his glass of champagne in toast, the group clapping feverently as he did so.

"To family..." Sephiroth said softly, gracing the table with a rare smile.

"To family!" Came the loud cry of response. To the first class SOLDIERs, Sephiroth _was _their life, whether or not they had heard him make that speech, and they were the only ones who had ever had the pleasure of seeing the human Sephiroth. Every first class was fiercely protective of their leader, and had always severely reprimanded anyone that may have uttered a bad word about the General. Sephiroth did the same in regards to insults of his firsts. The system Sephiroth strived for worked flawlessly. It kept first class SOLDIERs disciplined, protected, protective, and willing to commit their duties as the best of the best. It was the same system adopted by Tseng with his Turks, and it kept the elite of the elite manageable. SOLDIER and the Turks worked like clockwork, and very frequently were thrown together for missions, which was fine as they worked well together also.

"Hey Zack?" Nidrie began, as Zack smiled widely, snapping out of his nostalgia.

"Ya? What's up?"

"That blonde kid... isn't he your designated buddy?" Nidrie asked, and Zack nodded, "Well, I'm really sorry then man... Are we still ok?"

"Of course! You can't help what some wanker decided to do, right?" Zack beamed, and Nidre shrugged slightly.

"Wanker or not, he was _mine_..." Nidrie sighed softly, "And God forbid, this is the second time it's happened. Seph's gonna have me on a spitfire by the end of the week I think..."

"Hey, you're a great SOLDIER. He's actually spoken about you before..." Zack grinned, clapping Nidrie on the back.

"No doubt saying how much of a disappointment I am..."

"Nah! He was saying how much potential you had. Remember that time you and I were sparring in the training hall?" Zack grinned, as Nidrie smiled and nodded.

"That was the first time I'd beaten you..."

"And it wasn't the last, right? You did it a few times that day. Seph was majorly impressed. He said, and I quote, 'Lawson is a fine SOLDIER operative. He'll get far in this company, I am sure.' Do you think he would lie about that kind of stuff?"

"No, I don't..." Nidrie smiled widely, "He really said that?"

"Yup. So don't worry about it, he thinks you're tops..." Zack reassured, before a sudden realisation hit him.

"Thanks Zack!"

"Yeah, no problems... Have you seen where that blonde kid went?" Zack asked, already gazing across the field.

"Is that him heading for the Guard building?" Nidrie pointed out a disappearing blonde head amongst the group of excited SOLDIERs and guards alike. They had reason to be excited after all. It was not often that Sephiroth made a public appearance, let alone the mystical masamune. Zack watched the spikey blonde hair bounce through the crowd and nodded goodbye to Nidrie, who returned the favour, before the Lieutenant disappeared through the crowd after his buddy.

He managed to catch the blonde, and snatched at Cloud's arm, whipping him around.

"Cloud, are you ok?" He asked firmly, as the blonde avoided eye contact, a storm still brewing within his eyes.

"Yes sir. I won't do it again sir..." Cloud replied formally, as the blonde attempted to move away once more.

"Hey, come on... I can tell that that guy got you pretty cheesed off, yeah?" Zack said softly, "You did nothing wrong..."

"I spoke out in the presence of General Sephiroth. It was very rude of me to do so when he clearly had the situation under control, sir."

"No way Spike. You speaking out may very well have saved your ass. If we hadn't butted in, Nidrie would have had no choice but to believe his SOLDIER. You did a good thing, Spike..."

"Urgh..."

"Urgh?" Zack queried, quirking an eyebrow.

"Yeah... I just... Never mind..." Cloud let out a small sigh, his features softening, as he continued to avidly avoid eye contact. Zack flung an arm around the blonde and pulled him against his side. Cloud let out a little noise of surprise and Zack held back a laugh.

"You don't have any siblings, hey?" Zack grinned, and the blonde shook his head.

"How'd you know?"

"Cause my brothers used to do this to me all the time when I felt like shit. You come to expect it..."

"Oh..." Cloud blushed slightly and scratched his head as Zack took hold of his shoulders and steered him from the guard building to the SOLDIER training hall. Zack relished in the startled look of confusion on the blonde's face as the realisation hit him.

"SOLDIER training halls, sir?" Cloud asked, and Zack nodded.

"I saw your defence before. You're pretty good Spike. Let me _really _see what you've got, yeah?" Zack grinned, as the blonde took a deep breath and let out a small sigh.

_...Let's get that smile back on that face..._

--

Cloud blocked, parried, and was promptly tackled to the floor by an over-excited Zack and his buster sword. The blonde laughed hysterically and squirmed as the lieutenant tickled his ribs. Cloud was the perfect match for Zack, as far as the Lieutenant was concerned. The blonde relished in play fights and almost seemed to long for affection. Zack lived for tackle hugs and tickles, and latched on to anything he found remotely loveable. It was possibly why he had latched on to Angeal so quickly. Unlike Angeal however, Cloud did _not _swat him away with a rolled up newspaper and mutter a canine related joke under his breath. Instead, the blonde giggled until his cheeks were red and he had difficulty in breathing, and Zack bathed in every moment.

"Lieutenant... Sir..." Cloud gasped between laughter, "I can't... breathe!"

"Say mercy..." Zack grinned, and the blonde raised an eyebrow and stubbornly shook his head. Zack stopped his tickling, instead grabbing the blonde's arms and pinning them above his head.

"Mercyyyyy!" The Lieutenant grinned, and Cloud wriggled slightly.

"Whyyy? What are you going to do?" Cloud asked with a mischievous grin, and Zack smirked in reponse.

"Whatever I damn well want, hey?" Zack teased, and Cloud's eyes widened slightly.

"...Mercy?"

"Damn, you're no fun..." Zack pouted, clambering off the blonde as Cloud let out a small laugh.

Zack was thoroughly proud of himself. It had been a little over an hour since he had dragged Cloud into the training hall and he had tickled, joked, teased and reminisced Cloud back to his cheerful state. Quite an achievement in his eyes. Cloud seemingly relished in hearing stories of battle and adventure, and Zack loved telling them. The only other person he hung around often enough was Sephiroth, and he had been there at Zack's side for every one of his bizarre travel adventures.

"Hey Cloud..." Zack mused, "Did I ever tell you about the time Sephiroth and I went to Rocket Town and were cornered by some old guy and hassled about the Space Program?"

"Nope..." Cloud smiled eagerly, as he pulled himself from the ground and cracked his neck.

"We get there to do a mako core sampling of the soil content, and he comes over to us and starts waving his arms about complaining about Palmer and the fact that the program was taking too long to get underway..." Zack smiled at the memory, "He then dragged us into his house and sat us at his kitchen table, before forcing us to eat and drink everything he had to offer us whilst he bitched about Shinra. When we were leaving, the woman who had been in the house with him at the time, quietly apologised and told us that he was losing it a bit in his old age. Sephiroth's never looked so damn awkward in his entire life, I'm sure."

Cloud laughed quietly to himself, his cheeks turning a faint pink after the mild exertion, as he sat on a nearby bench. He ran a hand lightly through his blonde spikes, making them stick up even further, as he let out a soft sigh, and Zack grinned.

_...Pretty... Really, almost unbearably pretty..._

The blonde had a petite figure, despite his strenuous training both with and without Zack, and he had been blessed with such finely crafted features that Zack had no doubt he could pull off being a woman. He was simply... beautiful...

"Have you ever thought of cross dressing?" Zack blurted, before realising what he'd just said. Cloud visibly reeled slightly at the word and gave a puzzled look to the Lieutenant.

"No... anything you wanna tell me though, sir?" Cloud teased, as Zack let out a nervous laugh in spite of himself.

"Uh, that came out weird..." Zack grinned, before affectionately ruffling the blonde's hair. He inwardly cursed himself with every touch he had of the blonde, but it was seemingly impossible to refrain from it. Every touch he had, he'd enjoy too much and want more. So, he'd touch again, despite his desperate attempt at keeping away, and he'd only enjoy it more. It was a vicious cycle.

"Then what the hell were you trying to say?" Cloud asked with a laugh, as he playfully swatted the Lieutenant's hand from his head.

"You're gonna be a good SOLDIER. You'd also be a good Turk I guess, and I dunno... they tend to go undercover a lot. Dress up as girls and stuff..." Zack shrugged casually, and Cloud gave thought to the words that had poured from the Lieutenant's mouth.

"You really think I'll make it to SOLDIER, sir?" Cloud asked curiously, and Zack nodded.

"For sure. You will be up there in no time!" The Lieutenant beamed, and the blonde smiled excitedly.

"Really? That means a lot from you, because you got to first class so young. Do you think I could ever make it to first class as quick as you did, sir?" Cloud asked, and Zack had a mental pause. The thought of young, sweet, innocent Cloud out on a battlefield was a startling thought. Yes, Zack had been Cloud's age when he made first class, but the blonde was too perfect. If it came down to it, Zack would want to personally nurture Cloud into the position himself. He knew Cloud had big things in store for him, but at the moment? No, he was far too young.

"Sure!" Zack replied with a convincing beam. Cloud watched his face for a moment, and nodded.

"Thanks..." He grinned finally, as he stood up and picked up his bag, the usual announcement sounding over the speakers.

"The four pm two hour designated study block for all SOLDIER third class and Shinra guards is beginning in approximately ten minutes. All SOLDIER third class and Shinra guards are expected to report to their commanding officers in their quarters by four pm sharp. Any students caught without a text book and study guide will be sent to General Sephiroth's office and reprimand..."

"He sounds so happy to be here..." Cloud laughed, as he slung his backpack over his shoulder and headed for the door.

"You leaving already Cloud?" Zack asked curiously.

"Yeah, aren't you listening?" Cloud asked, confusion across his face.

"Alright, alright. I'll come with then..." Zack grinned, and the blonde gaped slightly.

"You're gonna help me study, sir?" Cloud asked, a hint of hope in his voice.

"Sure am. Can't wait to have you up in first class with me. The sooner the better..." Zack smiled a little goofily, and Cloud let out a small sigh of embarrassment.

"But sir..." Cloud said quietly, "Remember what happened last time you were meant to help me study?"

Zack scratched his head a little in his own embarrassment and laughed.

"I was tired! You can't have expected me to sit up and listen to you speak algebra and grammar after spending four hours filing paper work with stuffy pants could you?" He shrugged, and Cloud nodded.

"Fair enough. Well, let's go then sir..." the blonde beamed, before pushing open the door and stepping outside, treating Zack to the view of those blonde spikes illuminated with sunlight. Cloud Strife would prove to be a temptation, of that he was sure...

--

_It was a sharp and kind of stabbing pain, and he swatted blindly in the dark, his eyes still closed as he murmured. _

_"That's so... annoying..." he mumbled, "Muuuum... lemme alone..."_

_A laugh then resounded, echoing against... the walls? Were there even walls? A floor? It felt like he was floating on some sort of cloud... The laughter stopped, followed almost immediately by a bout of coughing, as Zack snapped open his eyes in concern. _

_"Ahhh, keep resting boy..." the old woman laughed between coughs, as she appeared before him._

_"Cosmonian Tea... it burns your chest at the best of times..." She smiled warmly._

_"I think you should stop drinking it..." Zack shrugged, and she reached up to pinch his cheeks. _

_"Ah, you are so caring, my handsome boy!" che beamed, before laughing as Zack blushed lightly. _

_"Aw shucks Grammy, you exaggerate..." Zack grinned, and she clapped her hands. _

_"Grammy? Oh Zachary, you know how to make an old heart feel such joy!" she beamed, opting for another cheek squeeze. This seemed so vaguely familiar to Zack. He remembered his mother speaking of his own grandmother doing something similar when he was a baby, but she died before he ever got to know her. _

_"Well, I don't know what else to call you, and you're kind of like family to me now. You know, showing up uninvited and showering me with love and praise and guidance..." Zack grinned, and she flung her arms around him and squeezed. Zack laughed in reply and she let out a bark of laughter._

_"Ah! You're puppiness has rubbed off on me!" She smiled widely, and Zack faltered in his own. Angeal. _

_"Don't call me that please, grammy..." He said softly, the pain biting through his words._

_"Angeal was a marvellous teacher for you Zachary. He looked after you so well. He kept his eye on you from the moment he realised that you too, were _his _ummei..." She smiled, and Zack shook his head. _

_"He didn't _always _care..." _

_She seemed to realise then, her smile fading, before she placed his hand in hers, and pulled him behind her._

_"...Grammy?" he questioned, but she shook her head, leading him through the darkness towards a pinprick of light. She stopped near to it and squeezed the fingers within her hand. She waved her free hand, as if painting a picture, and the pinprick stretched into somewhat of a television screen. Or so Zack thought, until he recognized one of the characters. Long, flowing silver hair flashed across the screen, before leaning casually against a nearby wall. The figure beside him had dark black hair, framing his face slightly, and a strong jawline to accentuate the piercing gaze scouring the area, as he too leant casually against a wall. _

_"Angeal..." Zack said quietly, as he smiled. Another figure walked, or should he say _bounced_ past them, and the two sets of gazes followed him in amusement. Spikey black hair sprung around as the owner bounced excitedly on his feet, a wooden sword attached to his back as he talked animatedly to a young red head with an electro-mag stick. _

_"Ah bless you Zachary, you look so excited!" His grammy said from his side, as the image stayed focus on the two characters leaning against the wall._

_"I look terrified..." he laughed a little, as president Shinra took the stage. Now the scene made sense. It was SOLDIER selection day, and Zack was about to have his heart broken for the second time, just by watching it... _

_"Oh grammy, do we have to watch this?" Zack whined, before she nodded. _

_"Yes, this is not primarily on what you heard that day Zachary, but rather, what you didn't hear..." She smiled softly, as the image on the screen became larger, as if there were a camera zooming onto the General and Angeal, who were talking softly amongst themselves. _

_"...Are you prepared to see this Angeal?" Sephiroth asked, and the Commander to his left furrowed his brows slightly._

_"Perhaps not, but it is a given. As much as we would all love him to jump straight into SOLDIER, he's simply too young..."_

_"We were no more than thirteen when we joined, much younger than he was..." Sephiroth remarked, and Angeal shook his head minutely._

_"Genesis and us... we were all the same age. Fair is the youngest of his field, and I don't want him compromised..."_

_"You haven't even spoken to the boy, and yet you show such compassion..." Sephiroth mused dryly, and Angeal scowled. _

_"I've seen him Sephiroth. He has what it takes, and as soon as he makes it to third, I plan to mentor him..."_

_"_You _plan to mentor him?" Sephiroth asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise. Angeal smiled slightly. It was barely there, but Zack had learnt to pick up on those tiny gestures of acceptance and caught them nine times out of ten._

_"I plan to mentor him..." Angeal repeated with a nod, "And I'll make a first class out of him yet. Lazard won't know what hit him." _

_"And you plan to keep him a recruit for the next four years?" Sephiroth sighed, "There is a reason he was accepted into the guard so young to begin with, Angeal. Why do you continue to deny him the opportunity? He has friends in every ranking now, and he only continues to excel..."_

_"Two more years Seph, and he'll be seventeen. It'll be acceptable... Two more years..." Angeal said distantly, his eyes downcast as he said it, the president wrapping up his speech. Zack hadn't made it to SOLDIER. He hadn't been accepted. He sat in that chair for a full fifteen minutes, as his friends around him cheered and clapped eachother on the back, congratulations for a hard year's work. And Zack? He sat, and he settled his eyes on the two figures leaning casually against that wall. He knew what was coming now, and he turned to look away from the window to his past, but the old woman beside him shook her head and softly said "watch". Past Zack stood from his chair and walked up onto the stage, moving to the two first classes, who were eyeing him with unguarded curiosity and shame. _

_"General Sephiroth sir... Commander Hewley..." Zack saluted, a slight shake in his voice of disappointment. _

_"Cadet Fair..." Sephiroth replied softly. Angeal said nothing. It was quiet for a few moments, before Sephiroth cleared his throat._

_"Can we help you, cadet?" he asked._

_"Why?" Zack replied softly, in a desperate and heartbroken plea for an explanation._

_"Cadet... The reason why you haven't been promoted as of yet..." Angeal began, but Sephiroth cut him off._

_"Apologies cadet, but we are unable to tell you why. Classified information. Continue to keep up your work, and you may make it next year. You have classes now, do you not?" Sephiroth replied curtly. Zack had hated him back then, and had seen the faint glow in his eyes as being cold and uncaring. Knowing Sephiroth as he did now, he recognised guilt and mild panic. Sephiroth had cared, even back then, and Zack had never seen it before, too selfish to think beyond his own bitterness._

_"Yes. Thank you sir..." Zack replied, the bitter tone not un-noticed by either of the men, as the cadet slunk off the stage and to his next class._

_"Sephiroth..." Angeal said softly._

_"You were about to tell him everything, weren't you?" Sephiroth asked, and the Commander nodded, his stoic facade breaking slightly as he did so. _

_"Angeal, we are both well aware of how high in quality Zachary Fair's skills are. You say you have an inner guide telling you that his dream of being a hero is not so unachievable... If you are certain of this, then you know I will believe you in that thought. There is no need to build up the boy's ego so dramatically however, by telling him the General and the first Class Commander have been monitoring his progress personally. You would only cause more problems for the boy amongst his peers. Be patient, Angeal..." Sephiroth explained, and the Commander nodded. _

_Zack turned now to face the woman beside him, and she smiled._

_"He is a lovely man. He cares very deeply for you, and wishes for nothing but your complete happiness. Just as Cloud is your ummei, you are his. You love Cloud on a different level to that which Angeal loves you, but the desire to protect, to guide, to love... it is the same..."_

_"You speak about him like he's still alive..." Zack laughed softly, and she smiled, placing a hand on his chest._

_"Always, my boy. He is always going to live as long as your heart wishes him to stay..." _

_Zack placed his own hand over his chest, and smiled softly. The images of Angeal lecturing him for showing up late to training, the smells of Angeal's Banoran cooking when he got home from night classes, the characteristic raising of Angeal's eyebrow when Zack went overboard with excitement, and the cautious patting of Zack's back when the young SOLDIER flung his arms around his mentor and buried his face in his chest, murmuring 'down puppy' in a gruff tone. He stared at the 'screen' as it glowed, brightly, and another image appeared. Sephiroth and Angeal once again, leaning against the same wall, both with identical glimmers of smiles along their lips, as an over excited Zack bounded past, a bundle of black clothing in his hands. _

_"He ended up promoting me to third class the next round anyway..." Zack smiled, and she laughed. _

_"Yes, and then second class a mere four months later..." She smiled, and Zack raised an eyebrow. _

_"How do you know all this anyway?" _

_"I've watched you grow, my boy. I've watched you through Angeal to begin with, and now, through you. I have seen you become the figure you are today. A first class SOLDIER, already so close to fulfilling your dream..." _

_"Through Angeal?"_

_"The planet, admittedly, plays favourites in who it minds Zachary. You will always have one of them with you to guide you through the cycles, and you were brought onto this planet for a purpose. We all were, but yours is very special. Angeal was watched and guided with the specific intention to guide that which he most cared about..."_

_She smiled widely then, and her eyes watered slightly, as Zack's mind wrapped around the words. _

_"Me?" He asked simply, and she nodded softly. _

_"Angeal did not have anything that he ever truly counted as family. His mother and father were never really his as they were meant to be, as you know, and they sometimes treated him unfairly. His father in particular..." She scowled, "But you Zachary... You were the one object of his unreachable affections. He hid in a shell, and you drew him out and finally gave him the chance to offer the love he had never been given the chance to. He is so very proud..."_

_Zack pretended to be unphased by the statements, as he stared at the softly clapping General and the gently smiling Angeal as the new SOLDIERs collected their uniforms, a cool breeze blowing across his cheeks._

_"Grammy... If I'm awake whilst I'm asleep, how come I'm never tired? And how come I can feel the Cosmonian breezes, and smell Cosmonian soil if I'm still back at Midgar?" Zack asked, hoping for a change of subject, or something interesting enough to tear his eyes from the image of Angeal and his ever encouraging smile. _

_"The planet works in mysterious ways..."_

_"That's all you've got to offer me?" Zack asked sulkily, and she laughed. _

_"Yes, that's all you're getting. There is a more pressing issue here..." She sighed, as the 'screen' focused on Angeal at a closer distance, and Zack caught a glimpse of pride in the Commander's eyes. _

_"You had always wanted to be like Angeal, correct?" She smiled, and he nodded. _

_"Perhaps then, you should step back and think to yourself... Hasn't that wish become true?" She smiled, as she sat down, and pulled Zack to the ground with her. The darkness around them disappeared as they sat by a waterfall, the spray licking at Zack's face as a refreshing reminder of life and the energy around him. He'd never been here before, and an overwhelming feeling that he would never be here again, snuck up and hit him hard._

_"Where... are we?" Zack asked, as he looked around at the high cliff walls surrounding them in an entire circle, as the old woman drew pictures idly in the dirt by the lake. _

_"Do you know what is on the other side of these walls, Zachary?" She asked with mild amusement, and Zack dumble shook his head. _

_"I don't have any idea where we even are..." _

_"The outskirts of Nibelheim. There is a cave behind this waterfall, but you are not permitted entrance..." She smiled softly, as Zack watched her wrinkled fingers continuing their drawing. _

_"Nibelheim? Where Cloud came from?" Zack asked, and the woman nodded. Zack stared at the spot in which the water cascaded over the supposed cave entrance, and a flash of blue flickered through._

_"Grammy... what's in there?" Zack asked, standing up with the intention of sneaking a peek. She tugged firmly on his shirt however, and pulled him back down. _

_"There are places everywhere which are sacred to the individual. This is not yours, Zack..." She warned, "This is not even Cloud's. But he will come here with others." _

_There was a comfortable silence, where the only sounds surrounding them were that of the waterfall's graceful descent into the water below, and the gentle warble of a chocobo somewhere beyond the cliff faces. Zack was left in his own mind to ponder thoughts for a short time, whilst the woman continued to draw in the mud. _

_"Can you read this picture, Zachary?" She said suddenly, and the Lieutenant turned to face her, gazing down at the image. He gaped, after expecting to find a crudely drawn image, and instead finding a detailed sketch of a scene within some kind of temple. He examined the images intently, but found little sense within it. _

_"No..."_

_"It is a prophecy, long ago seen by one of my people. It involves a race known as the Cetra, and the potential death of our planet..." She frowned slightly, "I may be somewhat of a hindrance within your dreams, Zachary, but this is a constant image in mine."_

_"So... the death of our planet?" Zack asked, and she smiled slightly, bringing a puzzled frown to the Lieutenant's face._

_"Yes. Well, no. It comes so close Zachary... so close..." She smiled, "The calamity from the skies, the summoning of the planet's destroyer, and the black materia..." _

_She paused, dipping her drawing stick into the nearby water and swirling it absent mindedly. Her eyes then snapped up once again to meet Zack's, mild panic within them._

_"I will see you some time soon Zachary. For now though my dear, you must go..." She smiled warmly, the panic still lurking within her eyes._

_"Grammy?" Zack asked with concern, but she waved a dismissive hand, taking Zack's in her own and placing it once again against his own chest._

_"Always with you, my dear. Remember..." She smiled, before nodding and kissing his cheek. _

_The surroundings began to move and shift, and everything around Zack moved past in a blur of colour and sound. The last thing he saw before waking up was a gentle smile beaming down on him, and a proud glimmer in forever watchful eyes._

_--_

**A/N: **Yay. XD

Once again, hope you're enjoying it. This chapter took a little while, just like the rest of them. lol. Plenty of updates to come these next few days. Why? Well, you guys kept posting reviews, and I felt bad that I had nothing new to offer you. Here I was supposedly taking a break, but, I HAVE NO WILL POWER!! -sobs-


	4. Patrol

Le woot. .

Let's begin with a small plea from myself to hit my profile for some important news if you haven't already. Don't hate me for it. lol.

**Warnings:** See chapter 1 and above. lol. I'm sick of writing warnings. -.-

OH! And this chapter has a decent amount of dialogue. It annoyed me at times, so I presume it will with you too. hehe.

_Rendezvous - Chapter 4_

_Zack and Cloud are given a task that neither is too overly impressed about. During that time, they meet two notorious Turks, and Cloud begins to feel unsure about his future with Shinra. Zack offers some spontaneous affection and ponders the thought that he may regret it later. The Lieutenant is met once again with a visit from his mysterious 'Grammy', and she once again offers a lesson from the planet. _

--

Zack opened his eyes to meet the other two sets gazing down at him. One was a pristine blue, conveying something akin to concern. The other was a glittering green, and a fitting portrayal of pure annoyance. Zack stretched languidly and yawned as he sat up from his position on the couch.

_...I don't even remember feeling tired..._

"Are you ok, sir?" Cloud asked cautiously, as Zack rubbed the sleep from his eyes and raised a questioning eyebrow at the blonde.

"You wouldn't wake up sir. It was like you were in some kind of a coma or something..." Cloud explained. Zack turned his attention to Sephiroth then, who roughly threw a backpack in his direction.

"You're running late already, Lieutenant. It is not a wise decision to keep the president waiting..." Sephiroth said flatly, as Zack swung his legs over the couch and began stretching as he sat up straight. He scowled, pulling on his boots.

"No, God forbid if he comes whining to you about that evil hearted Lieu-" Zack began, but stopped abruptly.

_...Eh? Keep Shinra waiting?..._

Zack raised a sheepish face to meet Sephiroth's gaze and bit back a smirk as Sephiroth's eyebrow twitched in apparent impatience. It was another small quirk the General held, that only Zack seemed capable of producing. He had never seen Sephiroth restrain his anger as much as he did with Zack.

"Shinra called me. He would like you in his office by eight. Bring Strife, but he will have to stay in reception. You are running late. Hurry..." the General replied stiffly, and Zack beamed.

"Ah! O-kay! Well, you can leave now if you like, I'm almost ready!" Zack grinned further, "I'm sure you have some body part of yours you'd love to flaunt to the cadets elsewhere..."

Sephiroth said nothing, offering another eyebrow twitch and a slight flash of mako poison within his eyes, before turning and leaving the room.

"He should just offer himself to one of them. God knows he needs it..." Zack teased at the smiling blonde, who snorted in return.

"Twelve mile run at four am Lieutenant..." The General called from down the hall, and Zack offered a few choice cuss words at the intensity of the General's hearing. Cloud bit on his knuckles, refraining from laughing as Zack pouted, tying his laces and swinging the pack over his shoulder.

"Don't you start blondie, or I'll tell him it was you who stuck that piece of gum under his desk..." Zack smirked, as the blonde gaped.

"What?! That was you!"

"Who would he believe, huh? Lieutenant of the Shinra Army, or a cadet?" Zack teased, and the blonde gaped further.

"You wouldn't _dare_!"

Zack simply gave the best innocent expression he could, before heading for the door at breakneck speed. He heard the blonde gasp, before taking flight also and following him down the hall. Much to Zack's surprise and professional delight, Cloud managed to catch him with very little effort, tackling the Lieutenant to the floor.

"Oooh... I could totally have you reported for that!" Zack pouted, as the blonde rolled his eyes. His cheeks were flushed from mild exertion, as he flicked Zack in between the eyes. The Lieutenant grinned, wriggling his nose as he stuck his tongue out at the blonde.

"You're so immature..." Cloud sighed exaggeratedly.

"You got pretty quick and graceful there, Spikey..." Zack teased, the blonde staring down with an expression of mild shock, still sitting atop Zack's legs.

"You really think?"

"Yeah. It's kinda nice to know that you're learning something off me..." Zack said smugly.

"Maybe the quick, but I don't buy the graceful. You're about as graceful as a Sea Worm..." Cloud snorted, as Zack pouted once again.

"Your words hurt..."

"Awwww!" Cloud snorted, poking Zack in the stomach, "Poor little Lieutenant has low self confidence..."

"I assure you, he doesn't..." A smooth voice resounded, and Cloud toppled backwards in startled surprise.

Tseng came into Zack's view and the Lieutenant grinned up sheepishly, as the blonde blushed furiously in the corner of his eye.

"I do hope I didn't interrupt anything..." Tseng said softly, his lips curling upwards slightly, "But the president has requested I escort you to his office..."

Zack leaped from the floor, dusting himself off and swinging his backpack over his shoulder once more.

"Ya know what, Tseng? That's a great idea. Come on blondie, grab your gear..."

"Yes sir!"

The blonde hurried off, and left Tseng and Zack alone, the Commander offering a knowing smirk to the Lieutenant.

"I'll humour you, Commander... What?" Zack sighed, as Tseng raised an eyebrow.

"Many may look upon these kinds of situation as an abuse of trust..." Tseng said softly, his voice ringing clear with amusement.

"And what kind of situations would those be?"

"He's quite young..." Tseng noted, and Zack brushed it off.

"So am I, you know?" Zack retorted.

"He may not appreciate such affections."

"I'll take my chances."

"He'll be gaining more than _your_ attention, I am sure."

"And I'll be there to protect him."

Tseng smiled at this, as the blonde returned, almost toppling over the hallway rug in the process.

"I'm ready, sirs!" He smiled, and the Commander nodded.

"Perhaps you both are..." He remarked knowingly, and headed for the door.

--

"_What_?" Zack gaped, as the president lounged back in his chair, smiling widely.

"I think it's a rather beneficial idea..."

"I think it's suicidal!" Zack cried, as the president held up his hands. The Lieutenant offered a mumble of apology and sighed softly.

"Did you bring your cadet along with you?" Shinra asked, penting his fingers.

"Yes sir. I left him in the lobby like you asked..."

"Good..." The president smiled widely, before pressing a button on his intercom, "Michelle, send Mister Strife in, would you?"

Zack swayed a little on his feet, his anxiety over the president's suggestion filling him with a kind of hysteria.

_...Me... and __**Cloud**__...____patrolling sector six ... a graveyard shift? Is he __**insane**__?..._

The door clicked open, and the president's busty brunette assistant smiled widely, as he thanked her, bringing a blush to her cheeks. Zack resisted the urge to gag, and merely smiled warmly at the blonde entering through the door. He looked terrified, and Zack's urge to hug was becoming extremely difficult to suppress.

"Come in, come in!" The president smiled, all toothy and sinister, and Cloud nodded meekly, shuffling across the floor to stand by Zack. The Lieutenant understood. He could remember his first one on one conference with the president, and he too had been terrified.

"Good evening Mister President sir..." Cloud said softly, and Shinra laughed.

"Hello my boy. I have a little task for your commanding officer and yourself..."

"Really, sir?"cCloud asked, as Shinra leant back in his chair and raised a cigar to his lips. He lit it, dragging out the moment for as long as possible.

"Yes I do, cadet..." He smirked, "How would you like to go out to the slums and patrol a little?"

Expecting a dawning of horror to be crossing Cloud's face, Zack almost toppled over at the look of delight that the blonde displayed instead.

"Really, sir?" Cloud asked eagerly, the president apparently impressed with the cadet's open acception.

"Yes, really. I was intending to tell you both the details now, but I'd much prefer to send Zack the details in about an hour. Go get packed, boys..." Shinra continued to smirk, albeit a little sinisterly, before waving his hand in dismissal. Both Zack and Cloud saluted the president as he continued to blow billows of smoke from his mouth, much like his very own reactors did.

As the pair left his office, Cloud let out a shaky sigh, before leaning against Zack's shoulder in a sudden movement. Zack fumbled, before managing to prop the shaking figure up.

"Cloud?" Zack asked quietly.

"... Is he _insane_...?" The blonde groaned, his face considerably pale.

_...That seems a little more of an appropriate reaction..._

"Why didn't you tell him you didn't want to do it?" Zack shrugged, as the pair continued walking.

"Are _you _insane?" Cloud cried, "This is my first chance to get noticed, sir. I'm not gonna let it slide just because... well... because I'm scared..."

The blonde began blushing a light red as he turned his head away, seemingly pulling himself together as he began walking un-aided.

"Heyyy..." Zack cooed, slinging an arm once again over the unsuspecting cadet, and ruffling his hair.

"I used to be a timid little thing you know?" Zack shrugged, and Cloud raised a questioning eyebrow.

"..._You_?" he smirked, apparently in disbelief.

"Yeah. I was terrified to go on my first mission but Ang-" Zack began, but stopping as the name caught in his throat.

_"...What!?"_

_"Going on a mission. You. With Sephiroth and I..." Angeal smirked, obviously thinking that if he broke the sentence up enough the thought might process through Zack's mind._

_"Oh, yeah, fine, ok... what?!" _

_"You're not _worried _are you, pup?" Angeal asked, raising an eyebrow, and the cadet scratched the back of his head. _

_"Worried? Hell no!" Zack paled, "I'm terrified!"_

_Angeal patted the cadet on the back and laughed gruffly, much like an old dog would bark, and Zack managed to laugh a little himself at the irony. _

_"See pup? Laughter's probably the best cure for anything."_

_"As if you can talk. You're about as gleeful as a turtle on its back, legs kicking..."_

_"Maybe so, but do you think that mopey little turtle just gives up on trying to roll itself over?" Angeal grinned, ruffling the cadet's hair, as Zack thought on what he would find to be the strangest piece of advice he had yet received._

"Are you ok, sir?" Cloud asked hesitantly, as Zack zoned back into the conversation, the realisation setting in that he had been walking with his arm around the blonde in silence.

"Yeah, I'm fine. What are you on about anyway? I'm meant to be asking you that..." He teased, ruffling the spikes once again, as the blonde forced a smile.

"I just... I have to do this, you know?" Cloud muttered as they exited the main building. His blue eyes gazed out across the parade grounds as a few of the other cadets did their night training exercises with their mentors.

"To prove them wrong..." the blonde murmured distantly, seemingly lost in thought. Zack felt a pang of pain across his chest and leant in instinctively, pressing a kiss against the blonde's temple, as his lips lingered momentarily.

"They're all idiots if they can't see that you're something special, Cloud..." Zack said softly, and the blonde looked up at him with slightly wide eyes, blushing further. He then turned his face away suddenly, still continuing to walk with the Lieutenant's arm around his shoulders.

"I don't understand why you keep saying that..." the blonde said timidly, and Zack gave his shoulder a squeeze, trying to deflect the spontaneous affection that he had offered the blonde.

"Since when do you have to understand something to believe in it?" Zack teased, poking the blonde in the ribs, who smiled but said nothing in return. The Lieutenant feigned nonchalance, even as his insides began twisting.

_...I hope to God that didn't just freak him out..._

The kind of water that the Lieutenant was finding himself stepping into was deep and dark, and he was pretty sure that it would swallow him whole if he wasn't careful...

--

Zack let out a sigh as he leant casually against the nearby wall. The routine had consisted of standing points at six areas around the sector in which they would stand for half an hour each, before approaching the next. There were two other pairs of First Class SOLDIERs and their cadets patrolling, and so far they had only seen each of them once. The Lieutenant _hated _patrol, and the recent phone call from the General had not helped.

_"Zack, how did it go?"Sephiroth asked cautiously._

_"You would not _believe _what he's making Cloud and I do. Sector six all of a sudden ha-"_

_"I see. I was concerned as to who would be filling my place, but perhaps the president has made a wise choice in you and your pet..." Sephiroth mused down the line._

_"Get out of here! _You _were the asshole that got us out here? Why the hell do you never do patrol?!" Zack snapped, as Sephiroth let out something akin to a soft snort._

_"You sound somewhat angsted, Lieutenant Fair. Perhaps next time I purchase your groceries I should invest in something with less salt?"_

_"Salt?! What the hell are you on about?!"_

_"Well, if your salt levels increase, it can have quite the negative reaction with your mako, and result in-"_

_"You know what? I didn't _really _care. Just explain to me why we're here..." Zack sighed bitterly, as he could almost _hear _the General smirking in his infuriating manner._

_"I was certain that it was you who told me that you had a fondness of patrol... As I have a meeting with the Tseng to attend to, I thought it was best to recommend you to the President. Was I wrong?"_

_"Someday, General Sephiroth, I'm going to forcibly cause you some damage, and I will enjoy the satisfaction..."_

_"Yes, I value your friendship also. Take care Lieutenant," Sephiroth said softly, and Zack hastily hung up the phone before the temptation to throw it became any greater._

The blonde however, was surprisingly alert, despite the circumstances, and Zack envied his attentiveness.

"You can sit you know..." he smirked, as the blonde shook his head, the hilt of his sword being gripped by eager hands.

"I just have this feeling that something's going to happen, sir..." He smiled, before pulling the sword from his back and swinging it slightly in mock combat.

"You're really on your toes though..." Zack said airily, humming a tune to himself in his own mind.

"I don't have the mako levels you do sir. I can't be as alert in relaxation as you are..." Cloud pouted slightly, "And I askedHojo _nicely _to boost up my injections, and he just laughed!"

It was like the tranquil music looping through Zack's thoughts skipped at the words spilling from the blonde's mouth and he leapt to his feet, grabbing Cloud by the shoulders and shaking him slightly.

"Are you serious? What the heck is wrong with you?!" Zack cried, his own thoughts racing to his first mako injections accompanying gruelling pain, physical exercise and the mere unease of being in Hojo's presence for too long. The blonde's eyes were wide and startled as he gaped wordlessly.

"Cloud, you stay away from Hojo as much as possible, you understand?" Zack urged, as the blonde floundered in confusion.

"But sir, he insisted I come and see him after I lost those contacts. He said I was special, so I didn't have to worry about it, and asked for me to come in more regularly. He said it would make me a better SOLDIER, sir..."

"Ah Gaia kiddo..." Zack sighed, releasing his iron grip on the now paled cadet.

"I-I don't understand..?"

"He's a complete and utter basket case, ok? He does... stuff..." Zack shuddered slightly, recalling the many times Sephiroth had returned from the labs with a strange glow in his eyes and the tendency to do one of three things. He would often require Zack's assitance returning to his apartment before collapsing on the sofa and sleeping for thirty hours or so, he would return with a vacant expression and simply sit at his desk and stare out the window before he returned to some sense of normality, or he would green up to a dangerous level and release it in short spurts of extreme violence. Luckily for the Lieutenant, the latter was the rarest occurence, making the clean up effort far more pleasant for both he and the Turks.

"He's a little creepy, I'll admit sir, but he doesn't seem all that bad..." Cloud shrugged slightly, and Zack pinched the bridge of his nose. He then smiled softly to himself at the realisation that he had seemingly picked up yet another trait of Angeal's.

_"You know, I bet if I ran fast enough before I jumped, I could make it from the roof of the SOLDIER barracks to the Guard roof..."_

_"You know, I was just thinking about your little turtle story... say the turtle just could __**not**__ roll over... do you think it would die of exhaustion or starvation first?"_

_"Do you think if I laced Seph's coffee with a tranquilizer, he'd relax a little more?"_

_Following each of these statements, Angeal would stare at his student, before letting out a sigh and closing his eyes. He would then pinch the bridge of his nose and shake his head slightly._

_"You'll get it one day, pup. You've got a lot to learn..."_

Zack turned to face the blonde and ruffled his hair, an urge to fulfill the entire habit overwhelming him.

"You'll get it one day, Spike. You've got a lot to learn..." the Lieutenant smiled softly, and the blonde seemed to ease into the touch.

"I hope so. You scare me sometimes, sir..." The blonde smiled sheepishly.

"I never _mean _to..." Zack sighed, rolling his eyes as Cloud laughed quietly. His face became more serious as Zack's did however.

"Promise me you'll be careful around Hojo, Cloud..." Zack urged, and the blonde gave him a skeptical look.

"Don't look at me like that..." Zack frowned, "Just please, _please_ promise me?"

"Ok. I promise..."

"Good kid..." Zack grinned, flinging an arm around the blonde's shoulder and successfully fighting off the urge to kiss his temple once again. He was just so

_...gorgeous..._

"Huh?" Cloud said softly, and Zack inwardly kicked himself.

"What?"

"I thought you said something..."

"Nope!" Zack grinned. He stretched languidly and feigned disinterest in his environment, before his mako senses went wild. He drew his blade and spun in an instant, colliding mid air with the sound of a metallic clang. Cyan pools were watching him with amusement, as Zack's own eyes flared green.

"Speedy... Your mako levels must be skyyy high..." The stranger remarked, before making a whistling noise, "Spoilt they are, SOLDIER. What do you reckon?"

The last statement was directed at a figure standing behind the stranger, who merely nodded. Zack instinctively pushed Cloud behind him, even though the blonde was seemingly reared up and ready to fight.

"State your intentions here..." Zack said coldly, and the stranger snorted, holding his hands up in defence.

"Whoa! Down boy... We're not here to cause hassles..." the stranger said, his eyes flicking to the patch on Zack's uniform, "Lieutenant huh? That explains the mako. Crazy bastards..."

"You're not here to cause hassles?" Zack said skeptically, raising an eyebrow.

"It's alright slick. We got suckered into this shit just like you two. Meeting my ass. They're probably sitting there drinking to our misfortune..." The redhead shrugged.

_...So they're Turks..._

"Got a name then?" Zack shrugged, lowering his sword as the stranger shouldered his metallic Electro Mag Rod and stuck out his hand.

"Reno. This mute here behind me..." Reno grinned, as his accomplice scowled, "Is Rude... He doesn't talk much, but he's a crazy son of a bitch if you watch him fight."

Zack smirked slightly. The cocky redhead was already proving to be somewhat amusing.

"My name's Zack. Zack Fair. You guys got surnames?"

"No Turks do..." The redhead shrugged, "What about your little blonde friend there?"

Reno gestured towards Cloud, who slipped past Zack on command and saluted the pair.

"Cadet Cloud Strife, sir!" Cloud smiled softly, and the redhead gave an amused look to his accomplice.

"Well aren't you a gem, Strife... Check out the hair, Rude..." Reno smirked teasingly, "Enviable, eh?"

"Quit stalling Red..." Rude said stiffly, as the redhead rolled his eyes, shouldering his EMR and smiling.

"Yeah alright, alright. You two have fun, yeah?" Reno shrugged, "Something's tellin' me that this place is buzzed tonight, ya know?"

"Me too, sir..." Cloud remarked, and Reno eyed him with a soft smirk on his lips.

"Observant one, aren't ya kid? This one's a keeper, Rude... How long you been a cadet for?" Reno asked.

"A few weeks, sir."

"Wow, you're _still_ not SOLDIER yet?" Reno asked casually, and the blonde shook his head.

"I'm getting there, I think... sir..." Cloud blushed slightly, and the redhead smirked.

"Eh, cute as a button..." The redhead snorted, turning to Zack, "Can we keep him?"

That poisonous little monster in the back of Zack's head snarled in defiance and attempted to mentally claw that stunning cyan gaze out of the redhead's socket. Logic luckily prevailed however, and the Lieutenant feigned a passable laugh.

"Cadets aren't just for Christmas, they're for life..." Zack teased, and the redhead shrugged.

"Meh, worth a try. Have a good one, ya know?"

"Later."

The Turks then continued on their route, and Zack couldn't deny that when their footsteps made no sound at all, he was mildly impressed. The Turks were always, quite literally, Shinra's silent force, and their presence rarely went noticed by the average individual. Had Zack not been pumped full of mako, he doubt he would have even realised Reno was there at all.

"They seemed... nice?" Cloud shrugged.

"They're _Turks,_ Cloud... They all _seem _nice..." Zack sighed, "Until they've got their EMR sending 400 or so volts of electricity running through you before you can blink..."

"Tseng's pretty cool though..."

"He's the Commander. The rest of them seem nice to a point. He's the master of it... How do I put this? Reno and Rude there, they're the type that seem like your average civilian, until BANG, they wait till your back's turned and jump your ass for your cash..." Zack shrugged, "Tseng? He's more of the type to be sweet talking to you _whilst _he's taking your wallet right out of your pocket. By the time you realise that he's got you, it's too late. Don't get me wrong, he can be quite a good guy, but he's not the type to get on the wrong side of. They're loyal as Dobermans, Turks are..."

"But he seems so nice..."

"Gaia..." Zack sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "You've got so much to learn..."

--

Zack should have known it was going to rain, just specifically to top off how _fantastic _his night had been.

"You're not getting too cold, are you Spikey?" Zack asked, as the blonde trotted beside him, his breath curling out in white puffs.

"I'm fine, sir!" The blonde nodded forcefully, even as goosebumps licked at his skin.

"We could take a break?" Zack offered, but Cloud smirked cheekily in reply.

"Sounds like you're the one getting cold in your old age, _sir_..." Cloud teased, as the Lieutenant slipped an arm around his shoulders, pulling him into a headlock.

"I could kick your ass, blondie!" Zack snorted, and Cloud shook his head with the little movement he had.

"You like me... too much..." he choked between laughs.

_...Ooh, you don't know the half of it..._

"Wouldn't stop me..." Zack smirked, and the blonde wriggled out of his Commanding officer's grip, his hair beginning to droop slightly as the rain continued to fall. He grinned and shook his head.

"If I remeber correctly, I'm already catching up to you in speed. I'd watch what you say sir. You might be saluting me come the end of the week..." Cloud snorted, and the Lieutenant grinned in reply, before saluting him.

"I'll be sure to behave General Strife, sir!" Zack teased, before the blonde swatted at him with the back of his hand.

"You're lucky you're my superior sir, or I'd slice and dice..." Cloud teased, not realising that his statement had bothered the older of the pair until Zack had stopped walking.

"Did I say something wrong, sir?" He asked in confusion.

_...I wouldn't say __that__, just..._

"Can you put it differently?" Zack asked, and the cadet frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't like being referred to as your superior. It just doesn't fit, you know?"

"You're higher ranked, stronger, faster, fitter... how can it not fit?" Cloud laughed. Zack resisted the urge to shake Cloud once again, which was a frequently occurring temptation of late. The blonde was so beautiful in every sense of the word that Zack couldn't understand how it was possible for Cloud to have a negative image towards himself.

"They're not important..." Zack shrugged nonchalantly, "You've got the real package, you know?"

Cloud blushed a little then, before shaking his head sullenly. He looked like he was facing some sort of a conflict within him, and Zack was interested to see what would unfold from it.

"I... I really don't have anything, sir. I mean, I could be a good fighter, I _know_ I could, I just can't seem to get there as quickly as everyone else. I've been smaller than everyone else for God knows how long, and it's like..." The blonde paused for a moment, "... You know what Reno said?"

Zack thought back on it, and the realisation struck him.

_... "Wow, you're _still _not SOLDIER yet?"..._

"Hey Cloud, come on. You've got plenty of time..." Zack reassured, but the blonde frowned.

"There are six people, _six_ that have already made it into SOLDIER training. I'm still a guard... Maybe I'm not quite good enough for SOLDIER, you know?" Cloud shrugged, shrugging down-heartedly, "But I guess it's nothing to be ashamed of..."

Zack snatched at Cloud's arm and pulled him into a full frontal bear hug. The blonde tensed up in surprise once again, and Zack began to wonder how much affection the blonde had received throughout his life...

"Damn right it's nothing to be ashamed of! It's a complete load of crap too, but there's no shame in being different!" Zack grinned widely, "I am so proud of where you are right now. I know Seph is too, or he wouldn't have recommended us for guard duty. How many of your little guard buddies are out patrolling with us tonight, huh?"

The blonde looked up at Zack and smiled softly, spreading that Gaia damned warm sensation all across the Lieutenant's chest.

"Yeah, you're right..." He said quietly, as his smile grew slightly wider. Zack nearly passed out from the surprise that Cloud rewarded him with then, wrapping his arms around the Lieutenant's chest and squeezing him into a proper, albeit awkward, hug.

"Thanks sir. I'm kind of glad that none of the other firsts wanted to take me on..." Cloud snorted, and Zack ruffled his hair, pulling back from their hug.

"No problems kiddo. You're not so bad yourself..." Zack teased, and the blonde smacked him again, before resuming his patrolling.

_...Not good enough for SOLDIER my ass... He's gonna change the world..._

--

Zack could do little more than death glare as Sephiroth smirked from behind his desk, the Lieutenant dripping mud off of his clothing onto the lavish rug of the General's. Cloud stood rigidly beside him, saluting stiffly, as Sephiroth regarded him briefly.

"You're looking well, cadet..." Sephiroth remarked, and the blonde offered a shy smile.

"Thank you sir! I could do with a shower however, sir..."

"Apparently, so could the Lieutenant..." Sephiroth mused, as Zack continued to beg Gaia to curse the silver assassin before him. Both Zack and Cloud had patrolled for a total of ten hours, a majority of it in a downpour of rain, and had come across five incidents that had to be dealt with. During the last one, a rather suspicious looking subject had stolen a woman's purse right before Zack's eyes. The Lieutenant had given chase and tackled the culprit, naturally become engulfed in a puddle of mud in the process. The only reason Zack had not yet imploded was the amount of gratification that the robbed woman had given him, and the sight of the Turks escorting away a mud drenched criminal. Cloud had found the entire thing thoroughly amusing.

"I hear that mud's good for the skin..." the blonde had teased, before Zack wiped a clump off of his uniform and flung it in Cloud's direction.

"Cadet Strife, I trust that your evaluation of Lieutenant Fair will be unbiased in it's extent?" Sephiroth asked, as Cloud nodded.

"He did very well in my personal opinion, General Sephiroth sir. He was greeted a lot by the people of sector six with a friendly approach. He seems to be well liked by the community, sir, and he's very good at keeping the peace..."

"De he stick to schedule?"

"...to an extent..." Cloud smiled slightly, as Zack gaped at him.

"Oh that's low. Even if you told him you wouldn't be biased, you _lie_. You tell him what I want him to hear!" Zack whined, and Cloud supressed a grin. Sephiroth cocked an eyebrow in apparent amusement, before dismissing the pair to go and shower.

"You may have the day off to sleep and what not..." The General stated airily, before waving them away.

Cloud let out a small sigh of relief as soon as they had left Sephiroth to his work, and stepped into the hallway. Sephiroth's secretary smiled at the blonde as he did so and shook her head.

"It's alright hun. He might be a little strange and intimidating, but he's really quite well intending..." she reassured, "Just ask Zack here..."

"Heyyy Maryanne!" Zack grinned, moving over to the auburn haired girl, and pulling her into a hug.

"Hello Zachary..." She scowled slightly, mud dripping on both her clothes and her desk.

"Oh you've been listening to Stuffy-pants too much. It's Zack..."

"And this is Versace, sweetie..." She sighed, as the Lieutenant pulled back.

"You can blame old silver in there for the mud. You been looking after yourself? You're far too pretty to be wasting away here..." Zack smiled cheekily, and her cheeks flared a little.

"You're a tease, Mister Fair. If I didn't know any better, I'd be tempted to reel you in for myself..." She giggled, "Ah goodness. I'm doing well, and yourself?"

"Much better. You brighten up my days, babycakes!" He grinned, and she laughed, her cheeks burning an even more impressive red. She then turned her attention to Cloud, who was simply enjoying the entertainment.

"You must be aiming for SOLDIER, aren't you hun?" She smiled softly, and he nodded.

"You can always tell. It seems Shinra is hell bent on creating the most attractive army on the planet..." She laughed again, "Every single one of you boys that comes through here is _devine_."

Cloud blushed and then engaged in a conversation with Maryanne, whilst feverently denying his attractiveness.

Zack took the opportunity to admire just that quality about the blonde. The rain had done nothing but better the appearance of the blonde, in a twisted little way. Where his hair would usually stay upright and spiked out at odd angles, much like Zack's, the rain had a drooping effect and left it framing his face in the most adorable of ways. The mud flecked along his cheeks and forehead only drew the blue of his eyes to stand out further, and the dampening of his clothes had only offered the opportunity for the fabric to cling a little tighter to that lither little frame...

"...Lieutenant Fair...?" Maryanne said knowingly, apparently amused, as Zack returned to reality.

"Yeah?"

"Isn't your little blonde friend gorgeous? You would know being the un-official critique of all the fresh SOLDIER hopefuls..." She smiled, and for the first time in quite awhile, Zack felt his cheeks beginning to burn.

"Maryanne... That's not providing a very impressive vision of me to my little understudy buddy, is it?" Zack said lowly, as Maryanna giggled.

"...Critique?" Cloud smirked, "Don't tell me you're one of those creepy SOLDIERs that used to hang around after training sessions to try and catch us in the locker rooms?"

Zack felt a little flare of mako perk up at the idea that some of his fellow SOLDIERs actually did that, but pushed it away, and simply pulled a hurt face.

"How _dare_ you make such implications..." Zack huffed, as Maryanne shook her head.

"Mister Fair, how dare _you_ skillfully ignore my question. The question was, isn't your friend gorgeous?" She teased, and Zack turned hesitant eyes to the blonde, who was grinning at him cheekily.

"I... well... yeah. Of course you are Spikey, _Gawd_, you just wanted the extra reassurance, didn't you?" Zack snorted, trying to make light of the situation.

"Thanks sir. It's a nice compliment..." Cloud blushed slightly, as he laughed too.

"Hey Cloud, you wanna go down to the lobby and ask for any mail I might have? I don't want to have to go all the way down and back up again..." Zack shrugged, and the blonde frowned.

"And yet you expect me too? How lovely..." He snorted, before moving for the elevator.

Zack then turned to roll his eyes at the giggling secretary. How on Earth an individual like Maryanne had come to work for such a tightly wound person as the General was beyond him.

"You'll be the death of me, Mary..." Zack sighed, and she shook her head slightly.

"Something tells me your gorgeous little friend might just be the cause..." She winked, "You seem to be quite the attached pair..."

Zack gaped slightly, but before he could reply, she laughed.

"Aw, such a shame. I was hoping at least one of you would be in my reach..." She pouted, and Zack smiled in spite of himself. That was, until Sephiroth opened the door to his office. Maryanne snapped to attention then and flicked her auburn curls over her shoulder, before tapping busily at her keyboard. It was seemingly too late however.

"Maryanne..." The low voice rumbled, and she looked up innocently with her puppy dog pools of green.

"Yes sir?"

"What were you just doing?"

"Well, sir... we were discussing the adorability of Lieutenant Fair's cute little blonde friend..." She smiled, and Sephiroth's lips twitched slightly in his tell tale sign of holding back a smirk.

"Yeah ok, ok. Don't you guys have better things to do?" Zack sighed, as the blonde in question came bounding from the elevator.

"Cadet Strife..." Sephiroth said smoothly, "Are you one to say that you are... visually pleasing?"

Cloud blushed, before gaping slightly, as he turned his gaze to the floor.

"No General Sephiroth, sir..." He murmured, as the General let his smirk show through.

"He has qualities, I myself will admit..." Sephiroth remarked lightly, "Make sure that Tseng gets that paperwork, Maryanne..."

With that, the General disappeared back into his office, and left the blushing Cloud standing with Zack and the giggling secretary.

"See you tomorrow Maryanne..." Zack sighed, flinging his arm around the blonde once again and guiding him to the elevators in all their muddy glory. Zack pushed the button for their floor, all the while reasuring Cloud that Sephiroth really was not all as horrifying as first suspected.

Zack then clutched at his head as a migraine came along quite violently, and the distinct smell of dirt began to fill his nose.

"...sir?" Cloud said quietly, frowning in concern, as Zack closed his eyes from the pain.

--

_"Ah Goodness. The planet can be so impatient..." a familiar voice sounded, and Zack shook his head, the headache seemingly gone. He looked up as his 'grandmother' stooped over him and held out her hand._

_"Would you like some help, my boy?" She asked, a kind smile gracing her face. _

_"What am I here for today, Grammy?" He smiled, as she pulled him up from the floor, the darkness around them materialising into Cosmo Canyon once again. She outstretched her arms somewhat solemnly, as he instinctively wrapped his arms around her in a hug. _

_"Ah my boy, you are so affectionate..." She sighed softly, patting his back in an almost motherly fashion._

_"The planet's plan today, is for you to simply see something..."she smiled, before stepping back from the Lieutenant. She reached up to pinch his cheeks and her smile widened._

_"Ah, you are particularly handsome today! Such a nice healthy glow to you... Turn around for me..." She smiled, as Zack stuck out his arms and spun on the spot. _

_"Lovely! You've put on a little weight I see..." she commented, much to Zack's horror. Five hours of training a day surely should be wiping the kilos off of him, not putting them on._

_"Urgh, really?" Zack asked perhaps a little too hurriedly, and she laughed, falling once again into a coughing fit. When Zack moved to help her however, she swatted him away._

_"I must stop drinking that tea..." She smiled, "No, no. The weight is a good thing. You were far too skinny. You had no fat to make muscle out of." _

_She then took Zack's hand and led him to the cliff face of Cosmo. Zack couldn't help but feel a little unsettled at his current proximity to the edge of a 30 metre or so drop, and sunbconsciously held the old woman's hand a little tighter. She laughed at this and patted his hand with her free one._

_"Zachary, you are guided by the planet. No damage may come to you in my care..." She smiled, "The planet watches over you so closely..."_

_"It's still a long way up..." Zack said softly, and she smiled again._

_"Step closer..." She urged, but he shook his head, before she pulled him with her as she moved off the cliff edge. Zack choked back a cry of panic as she laughed. Zack couldn't believe it..._

_"We're walking... on air..." _

_"Not quite..." the old woman explained, "We are walking on Gaia's breath. She carries us where we need to be..." _

_Zack looked to the metres below him, where stray animals wandered the cliff side and occassionally threw up a startled gaze to where they stood. _

_"Can they see us?" He asked curiously, as the old woman shook her head._

_"They only sense what they believe to be there. We are in somewhat of a third world here. A world in between worlds... We can see everything around us, but it may not see us... We're seen by those that believe in the power of the planet, but even then, we are only glimpses..."_

_"We're like... ghosts?"_

_"Spirits, Zack. Spirits... We are in... how do I say this?" She paused, smiling softly, "We are in the planet's realm. If we were elsewhere in the world, the spirits unable to return to Gaia... Would guide us..."_

_"Why not here?"_

_"Because the planet protects you."_

_"What is that meant to mean?" Zack asked, raising an eyebrow, "Protecting me from what?" _

_The old woman's smile became a sad one once again, and she waved her hand across the horizon, the colours blending together as she did so._

_"The past..." She whispered mysteriously._

_"How are you doing that?" Zack asked, as her fingers continued to manipulate the clouds and blend them together._

_"Am I really doing it, or is it your belief that I am?" she queried, and the Lieutenant eyed her off. He then turned to watch the clouds and realised that they were not in fact being manipulated by Grammy, simply moulding together and gradually changing the scenery around them. This was the planet's doing, not the old woman's._

_"Where are we going?" Zack asked, but gained no reply. He realised why when he felt his body jolt and found himself in the Shinra building._

_"Is that me?" Zack gaped, as his eyes settled on the scene before him. Sephiroth was kneeling on the ground with his hand on a figure's throat. Cloud was to the other side of the figure, biting his fingers in apparent distress. _

_"What's going on?" Zack cringed, as Cloud let out a muffled sob. _

_"You are in the planet's realm. You are not dead, so to speak, but you are not currently living... Those times when Cloud failed to wake you whilst I visited? This is why..."_

_Sephiroth was shaking Zack's form quite vigorously now, and tears were brimming in Cloud's eyes. Zack was conflicted between feeling distressed and comforted, and turned to his guide with a panicked look on his face._

_"You are aching because you are hurting people, but you are comforted to know that there are those that care enough to shed tears..." She smiled, "I know you Zachary. You are a gentle soul..."_

_Zack bit his tongue and continued watching, as Sephiroth cast a spell over his prone form. _

_"Was that Life?" Zack asked, but the old woman merely shook her head._

_"It is a bolt spell. A very mild one. Your General is attempting to rouse you..."_

_"Do I... have a pulse?"_

_"Yes. Try as they may, however, they will not wake you..." _

_Zack watched in confusion then, as several other figures appeared. One, Zack recognised, even from a distance as the General tensed at his mere presence. _

_"Hojo?"_

_"Yes. He is a deranged soul, and yet will play a major role in the lives of you and those around you. That is another time however..." Grammy sighed softly, as the professor reached to touch Zack's forehead. Sephiroth pushed him away however, as Cloud looked on in confusion._

_"Is Cloud ok?" Zack asked in concern, as the old woman took his hand and squeezed it. _

_"He is distressed. His concern for you is high, but he will be ok when you wake. Now, however, I must show you something else..." the old woman said hesitantly, as if she held reluctancy at the task she had to perform. Zack felt a little uneased by this, even as she smiled reassuringly. _

_"The planet itself does not wish to do this, but its essence holds the memories of all those it holds dearest. You are included. So is Angeal..." _

_"It holds my memories?"_

_"Yes. For moments like this, Zachary. Come..." She beckoned, as the scene around them faded to darkness. The small television shaped portal appeared again, this time seemingly from an individual's perspective._

_"What is this?" Zack asked, reaching out to the screen, before having his hand slapped away._

_"Zachary, it is _not_ a toy..." the old woman scolded, before lauhging at the pout the Lieutenant pulled._

_"It is a window to Gaia's soul you may say..." She explained, "And today it reveals the memories of Angeal."_

_Zack watched then, as the screen became alive with sound. _

_**"Angeaaaal!" **_

_Angeal could be heard letting out a sigh at the noise and the screen turned to focus on a bounding Zack, sometime during his third class training, as the uniform suggested. _

_**"Yes Zack?"**_

_**"**_**Apparently**_** you've selected me for a mission with Sephiroth again..."**_

_**"...And?"**_

_**"I don't **_**want **_**to go on mission with Sephiroth..."**_

_Angeal's hands reached out and clasped onto Zack's shoulders as the third class sulked._

_**"Sephiroth is an incredible individual, Zachary... The more time that you are able to spend with him, the better..."**_

_**"But Angeeee-"**_

_**"No buts Zack. You are going on that mission for **_**your**_** sake. Since when have I ever even conceived sending you off somewhere when I could not be one hundred percent guaranteed with your safety? Sephiroth has graciously accepted my request to have you learn from him. You should be grateful."**_

_The younger Zack let out a sigh and nodded sulkily, grabbing his duffel bag off the floor and flinging it over his shoulder._

_**"...**_**Fine**_**..."**_

_The screen blurred, and re-materialised into Angeal's office, focusing on the image of a younger Sephiroth. _

_**"He's a fine choice for first class, Angeal..." **_

_**"I worry that he may be hurt."**_

_**"You worry too much. I myself am concerned that perhaps you have formed some sort of romantic attachment to the boy..."**_

_**"No, Sephiroth, that's not it. Perhaps it would be less complicated if that was all, but... No..." **_

_Sephiroth cocked an eyebrow, but left the question alone, as he stood then._

_**"I look forward to our meeting tonight. Don't think I have not heard of your little importation..." **_

_A knowing smirk slipped onto Sephiroth's lips then, and Angeal let out a sigh._

_**"You hear everything, don't you Seph?"**_

_**"Just about."**_

_**"20 hundred hours then..."**_

_**"I assure you that I won't be late."**_

_**"You never are..."**_

_The screen changed once again, the images becoming significantly more defined, and Zack turned a questioning gaze to the old woman. _

_"A memory that is stronger... it stood out to Angeal more..." she smiled, as Zack turned back to the screen. Zack was smiling at a dinner table, feverently chewing on whatever meal was set before him. Zack smiled to himself at the realisation that he too could remember this day quite easily._

_**"I've been thinking, Angeal. Sephiroth's not so bad after all..." **_

_**"Oh?" **__Angeal mused quietly,__** "I thought you might come to realise it eventually..."**_

_**"Thanks for dinner by the way!" **_

_**"No need for thank yous. Happy Birthday..." **_

_**"No really, thanks. The General says you spoil me..."**_

_**"Does he really?"**_

_**"Yup. Says that 'even a puppy can get too out of control if you swap a leash for a licorice whip'..." Zack scoffed, and Angeal chuckled quietly to himself. **_

_Zack then leapt up from his chair and grinned. _

_**"Gotta pee!"**_

_**"...Charming young lad you are, Zachary..." **__Angeal drawled, as the now second class SOLDIER disappeared for the bathroom._

_Another voice then appeared, and Zack realised that it was one very familiar to him. As Angeal's gaze turned, his suspicions were confirmed._

_**"He is enjoying himself, I presume?" **__Sephiroth asked flatly, as he stood by the table where Angeal was seated._

_**"Seemingly... What are you doing here?"**_

_**"Eavesdropping, naturally."**_

_**"Not even attempting a lie?"**_

_**"No need. The young one was away from the office, so the silence was unsettling. It was then that I realised that you had disappeared also. I picked up the hints and came here. Am I intruding at all?"**_

_**"Not at all. Take a seat..." **_

_Sephiroth then smiled softly, slipping into the booth beside Angeal and nodding slightly. Zack had then come bounding up to the booth, skidding to a stop on sight of Sephiroth._

_**"General Sephiroth, sir!" **__The Second class saluted, and the General waved it away with his hands. _

_**"Happy birthday, SOLDIER. I do hope I am not a hindrance in appearing?"**_

_**"Not at all, sir!" **__Zack grinned widely,__** "Thanks for coming."**_

_Sephiroth then flicked eyes to Angeal, before returning his gaze to Zack's._

_**"The pleasure is mine."**_

_The images then faded, and the old woman squeezed Zack's hand. _

_"Have you learnt anything, my boy?" She asked, and the Lieutenant shrugged slightly._

_"I don't think so..." Zack replied slowly, and the old woman sighed._

_"It's quite alright Zachary. It will come to you in the near future. Now go, you are beginning to concern more than just your friends..." She smiled, as Zack flinched._

_"Are they ok?"_

_"They will be. Now go, go!" She laughed, kissing his cheek and pushing his chest. He laughed, before she pushed him again, this time harder. _

_"Ow... Grammy... do you have to do that?"_

_"Go!" She whispered, a wide smile gracing her lips as she pushed him once more._

"Grammy!" Zack snapped, his eyes opening in anger, as he met Sephiroth's concerned gaze.

"...Lieutenant?" the General said quietly.

"Yes?" Zack replied without thought. The realisation hit him quickly however, that several people were knelt around him, Sephiroth still kneading his chest.

_...Oh yeah... the whole 'dead but not dead' thing...Am I meant to be in pain or something?..._

"...urgh..." Zack groaned as best as he could, before Cloud's face appeared over his.

"Are you alright sir?" the blonde asked, his eyes bloodshot from the distress.

"I have a headache, Spike..." Zack smiled, dramatically raising a hand to his forehead, "But I'm ok! Are you alright? You look a little stressed out."

"We didn't know what was wrong with you, sir..." Cloud said quietly, "I thought you were dead..."

"As did I..." Sephiroth said just as softly, "But the strangest thing was that you still had a pulse... It was incredibly faint..."

"I'm ok..." Zack reassured, before sitting up and standing in a fluid motion. It was then that his eyes settled on Hojo.

"Lieutenant Fair..." He said nasally, "It was quite an incredible thing you just went through..."

Zack said nothing, unease spreading through him once again under the scrutiny of that reptillian gaze.

"He's fine, professor. He said so himself. He shall be relieved of duty to rest appropriately..." Sephiroth said icily, as the professor snorted slightly. He turned that poisonous gaze to the General and smirked.

"I apologise General. I seem to have fogotten when and where you obtained your medical degree?" Hojo said airily, and Zack suppressed the rage he was feeling.

"I'm fine doc, really. The General has every right over me regardless. Until he's not around anymore, he calls the shots I think, sir..." Zack said flatly, and Hojo nodded.

"Yes. Until he's not around anymore... of course..." the professor snorted, "I will take my leave as you wish, Lieutenant. Sephiroth, I expect to see you tomorrow morning. I've cancelled all your prior engagements."

The General made to comment, but stopped himself as his eyes flared, merely stooping and sweeping Zack's feet out from beneath him. The Lieutenant let out a startled cry as he was quite literally swept into the General's arms and threw Sephiroth a questioning gaze.

"If you collapse again, I can't be guaranteed not to send you to him..." he explained quietly, as Cloud trotted beside them.

"General Sephiroth, sir?" the blonde asked hurriedly.

"Yes cadet?"

"Do _you _think he'll collapse again, sir?"

"I can not be certain, cadet. You will also be relieved of duty however. I am unable to accompany Zack, so I ask that you will. Is that alright?"

"Yes sir!" Cloud saluted, as the trio made the rest of the way back to the Lieutenant's apartment in silence.

--

**A/N:** I think I went partially insane midway through this chapter. I was proof-reading and realised that I had four paragraphs in the middle that were all of a sudden in first person. lol. Luckily, I picked up on it. If I've done it somewhere else, for the love of god, tell me please. haha.

**I HATE THIS CHAPTER. **Bare with me, it's gonna get cooler, I promise. lol.

By the way, do any of you know what Zack might have had to learn? Who was it regarding? Best or closest answer gets a net cookie, sprinkled with love. Think about it. lol.


	5. Learning

mimic shalle, and Jupiter 13 you guys are wonderful. xD Brunette S Angel, as are you!! xD This chapter's for you guys!

Also, thanks to everyone else who has reviewed this so far. Even for reading this, you've made my stats checking more enjoyable.

**Warnings: Will you never learn?! lol.**

_Rendezvous - Chapter 5_

_Zack decides that he's had enough of being cooped up in the house and drags Cloud out to cause mischief, much to Sephiroth's displeasure. The Lieutenant is visited once again by an urgent Gaia, and reaches the information that he was destined to that would ultimately change his outlook on everything._

--

Zack let out a long sigh as he continued to stare at the ceiling above him. Three days now both he and Cloud had been left cooped inside their apartment on Sephiroth's orders. Zack had never thought that he would say it, but even the daytime soaps were losing their appeal.

"'The Kalm Before the Storm' is coming on sir. Did you want me to turn on the television?" Cloud asked, as his blue gaze appeared over the edge of the couch. Zack merely stared up at him and sighed, as the blonde smiled.

"We get to find out whether Stephanie's pregnant or noooot..." Cloud teased, and Zack thought on it for a minute.

"I'll make a wager with you, blondie. I say she is, but it's not Mario's baby. I say it's..." the lieutenant mused for a moment, "Lloyd's..."

The blonde considered it, before raising an eyebrow suspiciously.

"What are the stakes?" the blonde asked, and Zack grinned.

"If _I _win, we get to do whatever I want..." Zack nodded, as Cloud frowned slightly.

"And if I win?"

"What do you want?"

Cloud ran a hand through his hair, whilst the other rested on his hip, and thought. His eyes then caught a glint of mischief and he grinned.

"Ok, well, _I _want that mastered fire materia you have..." Cloud smiled, as Zack held out his hand immediately. Cloud looked surprised by this, but took his hand anyway, shaking on the deal.

"You really don't mind wagering it?" Cloud asked, and Zack nodded, sitting up as he did so.

"I'm going to win, Cloud, so I've got nothing to worry about..." Zack winked, and the blonde rolled his eyes, sitting beside Zack on the couch and turning on the t.v.

An hour later, Cloud was sulking as Zack smirked smugly from his seat.

"You cheated somehow..." Cloud whined, and the Lieutenant shook his head.

"Nope. This is just what you get when your mum forces you to watch daytime television with her whilst your dad's at work. I'm a soapy _master_..." Zack said simply, before he added, "So... I win huh?"

Cloud threw a questioning look at the Lieutenant as Zack smirked deviously from his position on the couch.

"Are you alright, sir?" Cloud asked, a small smile of his own flicking along his lips in anticipation of the Lieutenant's next staement.

"I'm just curious Spikey..."

"About what?"

"How eager you are to check out that VR room that you've heard so much about..." Zack said airily, as the blonde's mouth fell open. Zack knew that he couldn't possibly be the only one who was going insane from being cooped up in their apartment for three days straight. Sephiroth however, had insisted that the entertainment level was of far less importance than Zack's own health. Zack thought that the General simply worried too much, and had taken over Angeal's position in that sense. Sephiroth was a little more subtle in his concerns however.

_"How are you feeling, Lieutenant?" Sephiroth asked as he entered the apartment door._

_"I'm damn near perfect, you know. Pretty bored, really..." Zack sighed, as he looked up from his gaming console. _

_"The mind can be a deceptive tool, Lieutenant..." Sephiroth had remarked, before spending ten minutes discussing the effects of placebos whilst simultaneously giving Zack a quick check up._

_"I'm fthine!" Zack said as the General popped a thermometer into his mouth._

_"I am sure you are. I am simply ensuring you do not get any kind of fever flaring up unexpectedly. Mako levels can fluctuate a temperature quite effectively..."_

_"Gord, your like a mother hen or sthomething!" Zack whined, the themometer tickling his throat._

_"I don't mean to disappoint you, Lieutenant, but I have no intention of fussing over you like Angeal did..." Sephiroth said softly, his eyes glazing slightly._

"How do you think you're even going to get in there, huh?" Cloud asked skeptically, dragging Zack from his musings. The Lieutenant cocked an eyebrow however and smirked.

"I'm the Lieutenant of the army kid. I can get us _anywhere_..._"_

Cloud snorted at this, and Zack pouted.

"You're a little arrogant at times, sir..." Cloud teased, as the Lieutenant gaped in mock offence.

"Me? Never. Anyway, come on blondie, you up for it?" Zack grinned cheekily, and the blonde held back one of his own.

"What about the General?" Cloud asked, as Zack waved a hand dismissively.

"Oh come now. He's a pussy cat..."

"He keeps coming around to check on you. What if you're not here? We'd both be in major trouble..." Cloud sighed, and Zack shook his head.

"He's got like, three meetings today. There's no way in hell he's going to have the time to keep checking in on me. We'll just get back before his meetings are done, yeah?"

"I don't know, sir. Seems a little risky..." Cloud shrugged slightly, and Zack stood up to pull the blonde into a headlock. He ruffled the blonde's hair as Cloud wriggled in his grip, and began poking him in the ribs.

"Come onnn! Lighten up, yeah? SOLDIERs all about risk and danger, and if you can survive one of Sephiroth's death glares, you can survive anything!" Zack grinned as Cloud laughed, finally managing to pull his head free.

"Besidesss..." Zack grinned cheekily, "I totally won that bet. I own you right now..."

"Fine, fine! But if we get caught I'm dobbing you in whether you like it or not..." Cloud teased, "I'll have to inform the General that you forcibly dragged me away against my will and threatened me with dismissal if I didn't obey you."

Zack clapped the blonde on the back and winked.

"That's the way!" he grinned, and Cloud blushed slightly.

"You're a bad influence..." Cloud mumbled, as the Lieutenant headed for his bedroom.

"I'm the best influence you're ever going to get, sunshine. Lap up the glory that is Zack Fair!" Zack cried out, as the blonde's laughter echoed through their living space. The past few days had been nothing short of a godsend for Zack, and he secretly thanked the planet for pulling him into her realm when she did. Cloud had been within sight for a large amount of the past three days, as Sephiroth had insisted that Cloud keep a watchful eye on the Lieutenant, and it had given Zack many opportunities to both feast his sights on the lithe blonde and to lull him out of the shyness he still held at times. The pair were getting along like wildfire, despite the fact that the blonde still refused to call him anything other than 'sir'.

"Hey sir?" Cloud called from the living room, as Zack silently slapped himself at the title.

"Ya?"

"I got the impression that General Sephiroth and Hojo don't get along all that well..."

Zack let out a small sigh.

_...Ever the observant one..._

"A lot of people get that impression..." Zack replied drily, and Cloud could be heard laughing quietly.

"Why was he so interested in you, sir?" Cloud called out, and Zack faltered in the collection of his necessary training gear. Hojo had _always_ been interested in the Lieutenant, and Zack was never all that sure that the professor's intentions were entirely scientifically inclined. He'd had that damn near confirmed at his last mako shot, when Hojo had leant to whisper in his ear.

_"It bothers me that you're so undeniably attractive Fair... Do you receive more than enough attention?"_

_"Professor, I'm not sure that I appreci-"_

_"I don't care. I'd prefer you to _dwell _on thoughts of me, Lieutenant. If it makes you uncomfortable, it's all the more effective..." Hojo hads smirked, before swiftly puncturing the Lieutenant's skin and pumping the green fluid into his arm._

"I got no idea, Spikey. But remember, you promised me you'd stay away..."

"I knowwww..." Cloud whined as he dragged his feet into the Lieutenant's room, and fell back onto the cluttered bed. Zack couldn't stop the small smile from creeping across his lips at the realisation that maybe he was rubbing off on the blonde a little more than first thought.

--

"...Do you have a keycard for it?"

"All first class SOLDIERs do. We rule the school, kiddo..."

"...But you're not meant to be here without telling the General, are you?"

"Well..." Zack scratched the back of his head, before swiping his keycard across the access point, "It's ok if he doesn't find out, right?"

Zack grinned cheekily then, as the door opened with a hydraulic hiss, and he slipped inside. The blonde seemed caught up in the excitement, as he grinned back and followed the Lieutenant inside. He locked the door behind him and disabled the keycard entrance. The only people who could get in now were Tseng and Sephiroth. Not even the President could over-ride that lock...

"Check it out, blondie..." Zack grinned, as he powered up the machine. Cloud watched on with childlike awe as the imagery of a full-fledged forest appeared in the glass surrounded room before them.

"That's just outside Nibelheim!" Cloud grinned, and Zack nodded, pushing the button to open the door. The pair stepped inside and the door closed behind them.

"Starting battle simulation in one minute. Please stand by..." The automated voice droned, as Cloud grinned excitedly. It was the most worked up that Zack had ever seen him, and as the blonde took out his sword and swung it in practice, he could only guess why. The cadet was clearly a natural born fighter, and the strength within him mixing with the mako of his bloodstream would always thirst for the thrill of battle.

Cloud bounced excitedly on his feet as he threw Zack a dazzling smile fuelled by excitement and anticipation. Zack almost didn't notice when the first beasts appeared. Three Nibel wolves snarled at the pair, before snapping at Cloud's ankles. The blonde took a deep breath and smirked slightly, before fluidly swinging his sword to and fro. Zack watched pride as the blonde swiftly took all three out with no assistance. Cloud let out a soft sigh as the last beast disappeared into cyberspace, before smiling widely once again.

"This is really cool..." He grinned, and Zack laughed.

"Next level in 5...4...3..." the computerised voice droned, and Cloud nodded in response, preparing himself. Zack gripped the hilt of his sword a little tighter, but doubted that he would need to use it. It was only in the rarest cases that the simulation would throw in a seemingly impossible task. Hojo had programmed it that way, and Zack had lost count of how many times he would go from fighting sea worms to being attacked by a Marlboro and a couple of Behemoths for good measure. On the even rarer occassions, the computer would pit you against any one of the four reknowned first class warriors. Twice he'd fought Genesis, once with Angeal, three times with Sephiroth and a particularly amusing battle with himself where both he and his simulation ran in circles trying to avoid the other and attack simultaneously. Each battle where the first class simulations had been thrown in, Zack had gotten his butt kicked by their virtual boots. He felt a mix between curiosity and fear at the thought of Cloud being thrust into a fight against Sephiroth so early on.

It was 8 Nibel wolves that appeared, however, yet Cloud was continuing to fight exceptionally well. He even smiled a little mid swing, as Zack encouraged his form and encouraged the blonde into attempting new strategies. The Lieutenant however, was choosing not to interfere, merely defending himself with the hilt of his sword if the wolves got a little too close for comfort. All too quickly, Cloud brought his blade down on the last one, and the voice droned again.

"Next level in 5...4...3..." she said flatly, as Zack noticed only a minute increase in Cloud's breathing.

_...so far, so good..._

The blonde managed to fight his way through that battle with relative ease, and a further thirteen before Zack had to step in to aid the cadet. Zack couldn't blame the blonde however, as VR level 15 _always _held a nasty batch of sahagins that no cadet should ever have to face alone. The pair continued fighting as a team for countless battles further and always waiting for that metallic drone. As they reached level 42 however, the machine paused for much longer than was the usual. It then made an odd beeping noise, as the mechanical voice changed slightly.

"Virtual Reality Training SOLDIER special input activated..."

Zack knew what that meant, after hearing it countless times, and had little time to warn the blonde before a virtual Sephiroth appeared through the vegetation. Cloud snapped to attention, and Zack snorted.

"It's alright Spikey. They'll occassionally throw in a first class to test you. He's just a simulation..." Zack reassured, and Cloud nodded, body instantly easing from its tense salute. The General stood stiffly and simply waited for the pair to move.

"What do you think, blondie? You think we could kick some virtual Sephiroth ass?" Zack grinned, and the blonde smiled hesitantly, before nodding. The Lieutenant couldn't blame the kid for feeling a little nervous. He could remember the first time the _real _Sephiroth had asked him to spar, and how Zack had felt seriously inclined to empty the contents of his bladder then and there.

"Combat commencing in 5...4..."

_...Combat? That's new..._

"...3...2...1..."

Virtual Sephiroth was impossibly fast. Even as Cloud swung his blade to attack, Sephiroth had already clashed Masamune with it and pushed the blonde back as if he were weightless. Zack moved then, parrying and swinging, causing Sephiroth to take a few defensive measures in between his attacks. It was something that Zack had always prided himself on. No one else that he knew could ever make Sephiroth raise his sword in anything but attack. Zack had a feeling he knew why however. If he didn't know Sephiroth as well as he did, the flaring mako in the General's eyes and the way that his ability seemed so effortless would have instilled fear and awe in anyone. He surprised himself at times that he was willing to even attempt the feat. As Zack moved forward to strike again, Cloud moved from Sephiroth's opposite side to attack also. Sephiroth merely blocked Zack's attack with enough force to knock him backwards, before rounding on Cloud and swiftly repeating the action.

"Does he really... fight like... _this?_" Cloud gaped slightly inbetween breaths. Zack was starting to feel a little rundown himself, so he couldn't imagine how the barrage of power that was Sephiroth was affecting Cloud. They were both circling the General now, looking for any opening they could get.

"He's almost beautiful to watch, Spike. Asshole is damn near perfect..." Zack replied, as Cloud nodded in recognition. Zack must have been worn out further than he thought as he could have sworn that a hint of amusement flashed through the emerald pools before him. Sephiroth's gaze was focused entirely on him too, which was an odd vent, as the simulation was programmed to offer the same amount of fight time between all participants. It was as if it knew that Cloud wasn't a threat. The blonde swung his sword then, which was seemingly a futile effort. Sephiroth met Cloud's sword and clutched the blonde's wrist before flinging him across the room like a tennis ball. Zack moved to swing and attack, before Sephiroth once again repeated the tennis ball throw, and Zack collided with the floor. He leapt to his feet quickly, just managing to miss a fatal stab from Masamune as he turned his eyes to the blonde across the room. Cloud was down, and was not looking to be having much success in regaining his footing. Zack reached the conclusion that it was he and the General fighting alone now.

"Eh..." Zack shrugged, a lazy grin creeping across his lips, "You don't concern me really. I know too much about you for that..."

The simulation's expression remained flat and neutral as his fingers toyed along his swords hilt. Zack breathed in deeply, before offering a full offensive attack and grinned widely as Sephiroth blocked each and every blow with flawless ease. The glint of amusement flicked through the simulation once again before Zack's sword was flown from his hand by a particularly violent strike. The General then spun, landing a well placed kick into Zack's chest. The Lieutenant fell to the ground, winded, as Masamune pressed against his throat. Zack patiently awaited the mechanical tone signalling the end of the battle, and chose to glare at the virtual General in the meantime. After regaining his breath, Zack rolled his eyes.

"I get it computer, I lost. You wanna tell your leather clad asshole to get his sword of my freaking throat?" Zack cried out, and faltered as Virtual Sephiroth smirked.

_...Hold up..._

"Perhaps if you asked the 'leather clad asshole' as you so eloquently put it, he would do so for you..." suddenly not so Virtual Sephiroth remarked, slowly removing his blade.

"Oh..." Zack said dumbly, as Sephiroth offered a hand to the Lieutenant. Zack toom it and was pulled smoothly to his feet.

"Oh exactly..." Sephiroth mused, as Zack dusted himself off casually, "Sneaking into the VR training room with someone other than a SOLDIER, disabling the entrance so that any further SOLDIERs were denied access, and then turning off your cell to avoid any contact..."

"In my defence, I didn't turn off my cell phone, it died. So there..." Zack huffed, and Sephiroth continued, easily dismissing the Lieutenant's reponse.

"The usual grounds of punishment would be suspension. But, as you are my second in command, Gaia forbid, and you were training your understudy..." Sephiroth trailed off, turning to face the blonde in question. Cloud had paled significantly and was looking as if he were frozen to the spot. Zack couldn't help but cringe as Sephiroth merely held the blonde's intimidated gaze with the intensity of his own.

"Cadet..." Sephiroth said quietly.

"...Yes sir?" Cloud said timidly.

"what is it that you have learnt today?"

"Learnt, sir?"

Sephiroth nodded, as the blonde slowly got to his feet.

"I, um... I learnt a lot sir. Fighting techniques... and different ways to deal with particular foes, sir..." Cloud paused, seemingly hesitant, "...and I guess I probably shouldn't always listen to the Lieutenant, sir..."

The blonde offered a timid smile, symbolising that he had attempted a tension breaker, and Zack felt himself do the same. Zack's was wiped away however at the General's next comment.

"Very good cadet. That is because the Lieutenant has the brain capacity of a chimpanzee..." Sephiroth smirked, as Zack sulked quietly.

"Cadet, you are excused..." Sephiroth nodded, before turning his gaze to Zack, "Zachary however... I have some rather drab paperwork you can file for disobeying my orders. Perhaps then I'll be able to keep some kind of leash on you..."

Zack inwardly groaned, before Cloud cleared his throat slightly and drew both Zack's and the General's gaze to the blonde.

"General Sephiroth, sir?"

"Yes Cloud..." Sephiroth prompted, and the blonde nodded slightly, seemingly making up his mind over something.

"I will gladly accept any punishment you wish to offer Lieutenant Fair, sir," The blonde stated simply, "As I hold responsibility for my own actions."

Zack was impressed, if not entirely confused. On one hands, timid little Cloud was holding a full sentence with the General without stammering. it was just like the first time the blonde had met the General, and Zack quite liked the approach Cloud was taking. On the second hand, he believed that Sephiroth's throw of the blonde had renderred Cloud partially brain damaged, as he was _volunteering _to accept punishment. Not just any punishment, but _filing_. It was the dullest task that the General usually had to offer, and he often left it to Zack as a punishment because of this. Zack was about to protest, before Sephiroth spoke.

"Very well Cloud. Let's go..." Sephiroth directed, "Two Eight Zero Six Twelve..."

At the last words from Sephiroth's mouth, the scenery around them began to dissolve back into the Training room, and the General headed for the door. Zack and Cloud exchanged a look akin to two puppies caught raiding the kibble bin, before stifling giggles.

"Let's mosey then, kid!" Zack grinned, as the blonde sighed slightly and rolled his eyes.

--

"Six hours. Six! who the heck has that much paperwork just lying around?!"

"I didn't think it was all that bad..." Cloud shrugged in response to the Lieutenant's ramblings. In all honesty, Zack had thoroughly enjoyed himself. But, he wasn't about to let Cloud in on that. The six hours in Sephiroth's office had achieved three major things that couldn't have left Zack in higher spirits. For one thing, Cloud and Sephiroth were speaking to each other now in something akin to friendship, which was one object that Zack had been willing for Cloud to overcome for a long time. Secondly, Cloud now knew a little bit more about how Sephiroth worked. Being Zack's protege, the Lieutenant was extremely pleased with this. He'd have the General eating from the blonde's palm in no time. Thirdly, and this was Zack's favourite, he had been able to spend time with both his best friend and his current infatuation at the same time with no difficulty. He'd been feeling a little dizzy throughout the day, and there were several times where he felt as if the planet was about to knock him out cold again, but they'd subsided as quickly as they came. Zack couldn't help but wonder if even the planet knew what it wanted sometimes. Zack stretched out across the couch as Cloud took his usual position perched on the arm rest, and chewed idly on a pencil.

"What are you doing, anyway?" Zack asked, as the blonde threw him a quick glance.

"I have a test tomorrow..."

"What?" Zack gaped, "And you spent all of today screwing around with me and Seph? God kid, why didn't you say anything?"

"I presumed you knew, sir. You're holding it..." Cloud smirked, and Zack was suddenly hit head on with the realisation that yes, he had signed up to help out with the cadet testing.

_...Thank you General Stuff-Pants. Your belief in my abilities drag me into a hole once again..._

Zack had been reluctantly dragged into supervising the tests, and he was not really impressed with himself for accepting.

_"The cadets all seem to look up to you Lieutenant. They think you're... 'friendly'..." Sephiroth smirked._

_"Friendly?"_

_"Apparently..." _

That was all the General had said on the matter, but Zack presumed there to be a hidden meaning behind the forever cryptic General's words.

"Guess we'd better get a good night's sleep..." Zack mused, as the blonde rolled his eyes.

"We haven't even eaten, sir."

"Did Seph do the shopping?" Zack asked, as Cloud disappeared into the kitchen. The Lieutenant waited then, as the blonde let out a snort of laughter before returning.

"Yes he did, sir. He left this for you..." Cloud bit his lip, apparently holding back laughter as he handed the Lieutenant a piece of paper. Zack's eyes widened slightly at the paper's weight before unfolding it and scowling. There was a bone shaped dog tag with Zack's name on it. The paper simply read _'For your leash, Lieutenant... There's also some kibble in the pantry...'_

"Asshole..." Zack murmured, absent mindedly running his fingers over the tag's lettering.

"What's with the whole puppy thing?" Cloud managed to ask after a fit of laughter, "The General seems pretty fond of calling you it."

_...Is it too soon?..._

Zack bit his tongue slightly, before nodding. He could handle speaking about these things, if it was Cloud he was speaking to.

"Someone really special to me used to call me 'pup' or 'puppy'. He said it fit my persona so undeniably well..."

"Someone special to you?" Cloud queried, a hint of suggestion on the word 'special'.

"No, no, not like that or anything. He was my mentor. He's... well, he's really the only reason I'm in SOLDIER to begin with..." Zack shrugged slightly, as he felt the familiar twisting of his stomach, "Angeal. He's gone now."

"Oh... I'm really sorry sir..."

"No, it's alright... Anyway, I guess the name just stuck, and Sephiroth really gets a kick out of it. He's not intending to be hurtful or anything. I actually think it's the opposite..."

_...It's your way of remembering him, hey Seph?..._

"Do you mind when he calls you puppy?"

"Not really..." Zack replied, "It's kind of a nice reminder I guess. He was friends with Angeal for quite sometime, and they were near equal in their abilities."

"I heard there was three of them, actually..." Cloud remarked, and the Lieutenant nodded slightly.

"Genesis. Sephiroth's the only one left now..."

"Oh... That must be horrible..." Cloud said, seemingly saddened by the mere thought of it. This fact on it's own encouraged Zack to return to his light-hearted persona, as he sat up and pulled the blonde onto the couch. Cloud laughed into the cushions as Zack tickled his ribs relentlessly.

"What have I told you about not smiling, kid?" Zack teased, as Cloud tried desperately to fend off the assault. Zack stopped after a few moments, and the blonde raised his slightly flushed head from the cushions and looked up at Zack's wide grin.

"That's not fair, sir..." the blonde sulked, provoking yet another tickle assault.

"What's not, huh?" Zack teased.

"Ahh! Let me sulk, god!" Cloud snorted, as Zack poked him.

"Never. I like it when you're smiling..." Zack grinned, and the blonde's cheeks reddened as he sat up.

"I don't get how you can _always _be happy..." Cloud grinned, and Zack shook his head.

"You think way too much. What do you want for dinner?" The Lieutenant asked hurriedly, leaping from the couch and grinning.

"Beef?"

"Beef what?"

"Um... Beef and blackbean? With rice?" Cloud asked, an innocent plead on his face, as Zack felt that Gaia damned feeling of warmth seeping right through his core again.

"Sure kid, whatever the hell you want!" Zack grinned, before disappearing into the kitchen and letting out a long sigh. It was becoming increasingly harder not to give in to the forbidden fruit that was the blonde himself.

_...Gaia, what you do to me, Cloud..._

Zack began slicing the beef and vegetables, and smiling to himself. He really did enjoy Cloud's company. Even his friendship was something that Zack had always valued. He could deal with just friendship, he thought. The Lieutenant seized up then, as a familiar migraine began probing at his skull.

_...Ah Shiva, not again... why now?..._

He tried to steady himself on the benchtop as his knees wobbled and the blonde called out from the lounge. The bench proved not to be the wisest option, as it only managed to knock the Lieutenant's head as his weight gave out beneath him.

--

_"Gaia! Why the hell do you have to do that when I'm in the middle of something?!" Zack snapped, knowing full well what the blackness enveloping him was. _

_"I agree with you, my boy. She is quite cruel..." the familiar soothing voice offered, as Zack stood up of his own accord. _

_"Where are you Grammy?" He called out, as the woman appeared, provoking a smile from him despite his annoyance. _

_"I'm here. I __was__ attempting to make some soup, but the planet so rudely interrup-" She began, but stopped, as the darkness flickered to colour. She scowled slightly, before moving to the fire of Cosmo. _

_"Yes, yes, I know..." She mumbled as she sat and prodded the fire with a nearby stick. Zack grinned as he sat beside her._

_"Things not going well between the planet and yourself?" he teased, and she pulled on his ear, dragging a whine from the Lieutenant. _

_"You are far too cheeky! We simply do not agree on something..." She laughed, before placing a hand atop Zack's head, "That is not important at all. How are you Zachary?"_

_"I'm good, Grammy..." He said softly, noting that she was seemingly avoiding the topic of her relations with the planet. She then took his hand and squeezed it. _

_"You worry too much..." She sighed, before patting his knee and turning her attention back to prodding the fire. _

_"What was so important today, Grammy?" He asked, and she frowned slightly. She pulled a pouch from her pocket and opened it, pouring a handful of silver dust onto her hand. _

_"It is different today..." She said softly, "And it is something I do not approve of. Feelings should remain those of the individual. Personal thoughts should remain just that..." _

_She then blew the dust into the fire and grabbed Zack's hand, placing it over his chest. _

_"Hold on..." she whispered, as Zack's head swam slightly, and the imagery around him began to change. It was the SOLDIER barracks. He could feel Grammy with him, but he couldn't see her anywhere, and his body was moving without his control._

_"What is this?" He asked, and he could __feel __her unease._

_"We are in a memory, but we are hearing someone else's thoughts and feeling their feelings..." Zack then heard her clap, and his ears were filled with a voice._

_**...'I'm not quite sure what he expects me to do... there are already three battallions deployed to Junon and he sincerely expects another four?'... **__The voice was seemingly agitated, and Zack realised that he could feel it through his entire body. _

_**...'Would it benefit instead to send me forth instead? I am not entirely willing to leave the men that remain here however. It's coming too close to examinations, and Shinra himself assures me that I am to be a comforting presence...'**_

_They walked past a few SOLDIERs then, who rigidly saluted, as their host nodded their head._

_**...'Comforting? They fear me... They show nothing but fear in their eyes when they see me... How is it to be a reassuring presence when they can not relax in my company?'...**_

_Zack felt the confusion and agitation building, and it was amazing how intensely tuned his senses were. Nothing surrounding them went un-noticed and he could even sense the presence of individuals within the area. One in particular appeared, and the agitation flooded away immediately._

"_**Sephiroth..." **__A voice called, and they turned to meet Angeal's gaze._

_**"Angeal. I did not expect you here..." **__Came their host's response, and Zack finally made the connection. They were within Sephiroth._

_**"You knew I was coming..." **__Angeal smiled wrily in response, and Zack felt a jolt through his body._

_**...'Why, Angeal? Why do you do this to me? How?'...**_

_**"Perhaps..." **__Sephiroth replied, as Zack felt a smirk creep along his lips, __**"I wondered however if you have heard of the President's plans?"**_

_**"He wants us sent to Junon. Ludicrous... What exactly would Zack do then?"**_

_Zack bit back a pang of envy at the sound of his own name, and he refused to accept that it meant what he thought it did..._

_**"Perhaps your puppy would do well without you for a few days."**_

_**"I was going to ask you about something, by the way..." **__Angeal said in a more serious tone, and Zack felt his body flooding with a miriad of response and emotion._

_**"Would you perhaps be able to take him on a mission? Nothing too big. Just something to get him used to you and the whole SOLDIER prospect..." **__Angeal asked._

_**"I don't see why not."**_

_**...'I don't think I can refuse anything you ask... I don't understand why, but I don't think I ever could.'...**_

_**"Thank you Sephiroth. It's very much appreciated..." **__Angeal grinned, slinging an arm affectionately around the General's shoulder. Heat. It was the best way for Zack to describe it. The feeling that the gesture produced was an explosion of heat..._

_The imagery swayed, and Zack was able to immediately recognise the scenery from his last experience. They were in Angeal's office, and they were facing Angeal as he sat at his desk._

_**"He's a fine choice for first class, Angeal..." **__Sephiroth remarked, and Angeal frowned slightly._

_**"I worry that he may be hurt." **__the darker haired man frowned further._

_**...'Why Angeal? Why does the thought bother you so much?'...**_

_**"You worry too much. I myself am concerned that perhaps you have formed some sort of romantic attachment to the boy..." **__Sephiroth remarked airily, as Zack felt that envy arise once again at the thought of anyone taking up Angeal's time. It was so precious, so why should it be devoted entirely on a second class SOLDIER?_

_**"No, Sephiroth, that's not it. Perhaps it would be less complicated if that was all, but... No..." **__Angeal remarked, nothing but true sincerity within his eyes. Zack felt his chest ease in its anxiety, and he felt... lighter... He was quite fond of the puppy, all things considered... _

_**"I look forward to our meeting tonight. Don't think I have not heard of your little importation..." **__Sephiroth mused, and Zack felt a smirk creeping along his lips. _

_**...'I always do. I always enjoy his company. We are friends... I assume that's why... no...'**_

_**"You hear everything, don't you Seph?" **__Angeal teased, and Zack felt that confusion sweeping over him again at that knowing smile. _

_**"Just about."**_

_**"20 hundred hours then..." **__Angeal remarked airily._

_**"I assure you that I won't be late."**_

_**...'Never late...'**_

_**"You never are..."**__ Angeal laughed slightly, and Zack felt even lighter..._

_Then, it was all gone, with Zack and Grammy sitting by the fire, the Lieutenant's face paled significantly. _

_"Grammy... oh Gaia..." Zack choked, as the old woman pat his knee lightly, understanding in his eyes. _

_"He never told Angeal. He never understood enough to voice his emotions, and so he remained alone in his thoughts... He saw nothing but friendship from Angeal, and so..." She shook her head slightly, seemingly unable to finish. She did, however, after smiling softly._

_"There is a sad irony in that the one thing that Sephiroth fears is the truths of himself..." She murmured, "Yet he finds a great deal of self comfort in giving hope to the one obstacle he ever saw as a threat..." _

_"Me?"_

_"Yes. At least, it started that way. Now... He cares very much for you. He was so like Angeal that he found within him the need to look after you just as Angeal did. It leaves him with an inner peace that he silently cherishes. He is fond of Cloud also, because he sees the Zack within him, and the Angeal within you..."_

_They were silent for sometime then as Zack tried desperately to absorb the information he had just received. Grammy silently slipped Zack's hand into her own as she let out a soft sigh. _

_"His path grows darker..." She said softly, and the Lieutenant watched her intently, "But it may be changed. So may yours, Zachary..."_

_"What am I meant to learn from all of this?" _

_"Gaia..." she urged, "I want to tell him. I want to guide him..."_

_The wind blew in a short burst momentarily, and Grammy opened her eyes, turning to face the Lieutenant. She smiled softly, and shook her head slightly. _

_"The only words I may offer... is that some things should not be left until they are too late... Sephiroth never took his chance..." She said softly, before shaking her head again. _

_"Ah Zachary, the planet is sometimes cruel. She is wonderful in all her grace and her beauty, but she can be a resentful being..." Grammy whispered, before her eyes widened slightly._

_"Go again, they are calling the beast..." She hissed this slightly, clear bitterness in her eyes._

_"The beast?"_

_"Just go, Zachary. Take care...Don't forget about me now, will you?" She smiled softly, before kissing his cheeks and waving her goodbye. There was such a sadness in her eyes... _

_--_

Zack's eyes snapped open to an increasingly familiar scene. Sephiroth was knelt by his side, eyes swimming with a barely concealed concern as he held a cell phone to his ear, and Cloud was sitting a little further away, biting his fingers.

"Zachary..." Sephiroth urged, but Zack was having a little difficulty speaking. This time was different to the others. Everything ached, and his mouth would not function when he commanded it to.

_...What changed?..._

Zack reached a shaky hand to clutch at his throbbing head, and the realisation flooded back to him. He'd fought the planet, and the planet had won. K.O in round one... The Lieutenant pulled his hand away and fought back the urge to swear as he saw blood glazing his fingers. Sephiroth noted this too, and lifted the Lieutenant gently in his arms, before placing fingertips on the back of his head.

"Did you call him, sir?" Cloud asked, as Sephiroth shook his head.

"I hung up, Cloud. He is my absolute last resort. Would you please reach into my pocket and hand me the green materia?" Sephiroth asked fluidly, as Cloud nodded.

_...Cloud... hey, don't look so scared..._

"He looks like he's trying to speak, sir..." Cloud remarked, and Sephiroth nodded, as Zack met his piercing green gaze.

_...Sephiroth... I know you loved him... You couldn't understand, but you loved him..._

That intense green gaze held his for a long time, and it was as if the General knew every thought that the Lieutenant was trying to convey. Cloud handed Sephiroth the glittering green orb and the General nodded slightly at the Lieutenant, before casting a spell. Zack could feel his wound knitting itself together, before feeling an intense urge to throw up.

Sephiroth lifted him and carried him to the bathroom, knowing full well what healing a head injury produced. Upon emptying the contents of his stomach quite thoroughly, Zack rested shakily against the porcelain of the toilet bowl.

"Are you ok sir?" Cloud called from the bathroom door, and Zack managed a weak nod and a thumbs up in the blonde's direction.

"He will be ok cadet. You have your test tomorrow, don't you?" The General asked, and the blonde nodded, "Best that you get some sleep. I am able to care for him tonight and tomorrow. Is that understood?"

There was silence for a moment, as Zack felt the blonde's gaze lingering on him.

"Cloud..." Sephiroth said firmly.

"Yes sir?"

"Sleep."

"Is Zack going to be ok?" Cloud asked, and the Lieutenant felt a small smile creep to his lips in spite of his condition.

"...Yes. Sleep well Cloud."

"Thank you Sephiroth, sir..." The blonde said finally, before disappearing. Zack lifted his eyes slightly to meet Sephiroth's, and a soft smile lingered on the General's lips. Zack returned the favour before promptly passing out.

--

**A/N:** True story - I spent ten minutes freaking out in Crisis Core when I had to fight VR Zack. We really did run around for the entire time whilst I squealed like a little girl and my dad threw questioning gazes in my direction. Fun times! :D

Anyway, le woot! ;D

See what happens when I love my stories right? They get done quicker. lol. Let's hope I love the next chapter just as much. xD

This chapter was a little short, but I had to divide it here to make the next chapter start how I wanted it to. xD


	6. Communication

Okay, didn't update as soon as I would have liked to, but I simply had to go and visit the newest addition to my family: My three week old nephew. :D

With me being the stats freak that I am have noticed something, and want to point it out: Hiya to all my USA, Canada, Germany and Australian readers. You guys top the list EVERY MONTH. lol. Also, this story has become my second most popular, so thank you all! D

Well, now that that is out of the way, here we go. ) Thanks once again to all those that review, I love you guys! lol.

A note to Brunette S Angel- I held off the sadness till next chapter so you have more time to prepare. P

**Warnings: I'm like a freaking parrot. I'm not writing them anymore for this story. lol. **

_Rendezvous - Chapter 6_

_Zack is house bound once again, much to his intense displeasure. Meanwhile, Cloud undergoes his tests and returns home with the results, and Sephiroth continues to play mother hen in his connection to Angeal. Sephiroth leaves when Cloud shows up, and receives a phone call before both the blonde and the Lieutenant spend a quiet night in. _

--

The night had been a blur. About the most that the Lieutenant could recall was a blur of crippling migraines and several trips to the toilet bowl, mingling quite nicely with that same horrible feeling that he'd just woken up with. Zack opened his eyes slowly, and was met with a pair of emerald green. They watched him with something akin to curiousity, and the Lieutenant sat up slowly.

"Do you feel the need to vomit?" Sephiroth asked quietly, and Zack snorted slightly.

"You put it so eloquently..." Zack smirked, even as the words felt like sandpaper against his throat.

"... Do you think you need to chuck?" Sephiroth re-phrased, and Zack supressed his laughter.

"No... thank you..." The Lieutenant replied, raising a hand to massage his burning throat. The General handed him a glass of water, and Zack drank it greedily. It helped a little, but did nothing to remove the bitter taste in his mouth.

"Urgh..." Zack cringed slightly, as Sephiroth reached to take the now empty glass from his fingers, "Where's blondie?"

"Tests."

"Oh yeah..."

"He'll return within the hour... How do you feel?"

"I'm..." Zack hesitated, his memories of the previous day become vivid. His head spinning, Gaia calling him, Grammy frowning, Sephiroth...

_...Sephiroth loved Angeal..._

"I'm fine..." Zack managed, and Sephiroth's gaze intensified.

"You're dehydrated. Your mako levels have also dropped considerably. It's as if whatever caused you to collapse drained some of it from you..." Sephiroth remarked, before standing. Zack got the idea and stood as Sephiroth did, before a themometer was pressed roughly into his mouth.

"How long haff you beeen waihing to do that?" Zack scowled, as Sephiroth allowed a small smirk to grace his features.

"Several hours. Don't talk..." The General said firmly, as Zack made to reply, "A simple check up to keep Hojo from your quarters..."

"Woul he rilly come here?" Zack asked, and Sephiroth raised an eyebrow.

"What part of 'Do not talk' did you fail to understand?"

Zack got the idea and proceeded to stand sulkily, as Sephiroth pulled the Lieutenant's arms towards him and squeezed his wrists. That never failed to amaze Zack, as the mako in his body glowed slightly green under his skin.

_...SOLDIER: Human Christmas Trees... Buy one today!_

Zack snorted slightly at his own musings, before Sephiroth roughly plucked the themometer from his mouth. He watched it for a moment before nodding slightly.

"Standard."

"How's my mako then?" Zack asked, and the General's eyes flashed concern for a brief moment.

"Still low. You're not much higher than a third class at the moment."

"Concerning?"

"Yes."

Zack let out a soft sigh and stared at the ceiling as he sat back down.

_...Gaia... You're really a hassle, aren't you?..._

Zack didn't even look up as he felt Sephiroth's weight fall onto the couch beside him.

"Why do you think that my mako levels dropped so quickly?" Zack asked idly, as he continued his vacant gaze to the ceiling. Sephiroth was quiet for sometime, before he let out a small snort of amusement.

"I... don't know..."

"Get out of here..." Zack teased, "_You _don't know?"

"No."

"That's ok... I guess I've kind of got an idea..." Zack shrugged, as Sephiroth eyed him with curiosity.

"You do?"

"It's alright, you'd think I was crazy..." Zack snorted, before sitting up once again and flicking on the TV almost by instinct. He inwardly died a little more at the realisation that he had become as much of a soap junkie as his mother...

Sephiroth looked at the screen with a raised eyebrow.

"What is _this_?"

"'One summer in Mideel'..." Zack sighed, "It's a soap set on the beach. The main characters are Ricky and Valorie, who are two strung out Shinra executives seeking a change of scenery and possibly..."

Zack paused dramatically, bringing a hand to his head.

"...A change of romantic luck!" Zack gasped, and Sephiroth looked at him as if he had ingested a little too much loco weed. Zack glared as best as he could for the situation, as Sephiroth rolled his eyes slightly.

"...You really _are _feeling better, aren't you Zachary?" the General mused, as Zack let out a strangled whine.

"Whyyy do I have to stayyyy heeerrrre?" Zack pouted, and Sephiroth's eyebrow gave a slight twitch.

"Zack... you continue to pass out spontaneously... Yesterday, you fractured your skull because of it..."

"Wow, a fracture?"

"I was looking before and the mako source there is too big for anything else but..."

Zack reached a hand up to run along the back of his skull and let out a soft sigh.

_...Urgh..._

Gaia was highly impatient in her demands of the Leiutenant, and the aure off of Grammy that he received last visit made him think that perhaps the old woman felt the same.

_...I wonder what her real name is..._

Zack let out another small sigh as he stared vacantly at the tv screen, the distinct feeling of that piercing green gaze settled upon him. The General was seemingly increasingly concerned with the Lieutenant, and Zack couldn't help but remember the intense dislike he felt for himself within Sephiroth's body. Zack _knew _that something about Sephiroth used to make him feel entirely uncomfortable, and now that he knew what it was, he couldn't help but feel guilt at the circumstances that had unfolded.

_"Zachary, the General is a brilliant man. It's immature of you to believe that he would hold a grudge specifically against you..." Angeal had sighed, as the young 3rd class had moped on the couch they share._

_"No! He does, I swear he doesn't like me. I think he's just... rude. As if he wouldn't like me for no reason! It's driving me insane..." The third class had whined, as Angeal gave him a scolding look._

_"Zack..."_

_"No Angeal, I mean it."_

_"I wish you two would get along..."_

"Hey Sephiroth?" Zack said quietly, turning his eyes to meet the General's. Sephiroth made no movement, apparently waiting for his Lieutenant to continue.

"I... Well, we didn't really get along very well, did we?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well... I was just thinking... There's no way in hell we could have even sat on the same couch back when Angeal started mentoring me, you know?" Zack shrugged slightly, "I just wanted to say I'm sorry that, you know... that we didn't?"

Sephiroth sat very still for a long time, a flicker of confusion gracing his features for a moment. He then shook his head slowly.

"There is nothing to apologise for. I would say we get along rather well now, would you not?"

"Yeah, I just guess I didn't really understand why you were the way you were..." Zack hinted slightly, hoping that Sephiroth would take the bite and try and open up a little. The General did no such thing however, choosing simply to repeat the shaking of his head and offering a frown.

"Are you feeling alright, Lieutenant? You've been acting somewhat... strange..." Sephiroth said. Zack figured that that moment would be the closest they ever got to speaking of Angeal and Sephiroth's feelings for him. Despite the crushing guilt that still bore down on the Lieutenant at having experienced some of Sephiroth's personal thoughts and memories, he chose to accept the fact that perhaps it was a topic best left untouched.

"Oi, how about some chocolate?" Zack grinned widely, as Sephiroth's lips flicked upwards slightly.

"...I'm not a fan..."

"Don't give me that shit..." Zack teased, before leaping off the couch and strolling into the kitchen.

The Lieutenant began opening cupboards in search of his prize, before the handle was pulled from his grasp, and the door closed to reveal a smirking Sephiroth to his right. The Lieutenant took a moment to regain his sanity before backhanding the General's chest.

"Don't _do _that! If you're going to show up randomly, make a little bit of noise or something for crying out loud!" Zack whined, and Sephiroth's smirk remained.

"You're not going to find any..."

"Why the hell not?"

"I noticed you put it on your list for six blocks..."

"I live with Cloudy-kins too now, remember..." Zack pouted.

"And would that be three blocks each then?" Sephiroth asked lightly, opening another cupboard and pulling out a can of fruit.

"I think three is reasonable..."

"You're going to get fat. Here..." The General sighed, throwing the can at the Lieutenant, as Zack headed for the fridge. Sephiroth damn near always left the receipt there to remind Zack just how much of a pain in the ass the Lieutenant was to shop for. Zack snapped said receipt from the aligator magnet that held it in its teeth and raked his eyes over it.

_...You shifty mother fu-_

"What's wrong Zachary?" Sephiroth asked airily, although his eyes held a hint of general bastard-ism.

"You son of a bitch!" Zack whined, "Look at this!"

Zack then jabbed his finger at the item on the list clearly pointing out that six chocolate blocks _had _been bought, and yet 'mysteriously disappeared'.

Sephiroth picked absent mindedly at his finger nails, leaning forward slightly to undoubtedly allow his hair to mask his oncoming smirk. The General barely even flinched as the fruit can was thrown at his shoulder blade. Zack knew that if Sephiroth hadn't wanted the can to hit him, it wouldn't have gotten anywhere near him, and so should have expected the immediate reprimand.

"For that, I might have to take your drinking cocoa too..." The General smirked further as his hair swung away and he pried open the Lieutenant's cupboard. Zack gaped slightly and kicked the General's shin.

"Sephhhhhyyyyy! Why do you have to be so cruel, you chocolate hogging asshole!" Zack snapped, and Sephiroth rolled his eyes slowly, brushing the Lieutenant away as he made his way to sit on the couch. Zack beat him to it however and sprawled out, effectively hogging a majority of the lounge space. Sephiroth seemed unphased however, and merely sat atop Zack's chest and gazed blankly at the television.

"...Seph..."Zack gasped from under the weight, as the General turned amused emerald orbs to lock onto Zack's, "You're... freaking... heavy..."

"I would say very little, Lieutenant Lardarse. You're a SOLDIER, I should not be as comfortable as I am now. I should have ribs digging into my buttocks..." Sephiroth mused, and Zack snorted despite the situation.

Zack then looked up as the door swung open, a relieved blonde appearing through it. Despite all of Zack's own concerns, they flooded away at the sight, as the Lieutenant attempted to smile widely. Cloud surveryed the situation and snorted quite loudly.

"Good afternoon General... Lieutenant!" Cloud said casually, as Zack deflated slightly, "You're both looking... well?"

Zack inwardly groaned.

_...Did I really get so spaced out that I __dreamt__ of him saying my name?..._

The Lieutenant remembered the hesitant pause just before he said it, and the slight aversion of the blonde's gaze as Cloud's lips had uttered the one word he'd always wanted to hear.

_...No, I don't __think__ I did..._

Zack shrugged and decided to test the waters casually.

"Zack... It's Zack... Za-ck..." Zack sighed between gasps, as the blonde smiled cheekily.

"You seem to be having a little trouble speaking, _Zack_..." Cloud teased.

"I'm having... trouble... _breathing!_" Zack scowled as best as he could, and Sephiroth merely raised an eyebrow.

"Good afternoon Cloud, how do you think you went in undertaking your tests?" Sephiroth asked casually, as the blonde refrained from the laughter he so obviously wanted to produce.

"I think I did rather well, General. We'll find out first thing tomorrow morning, apparently. Um... Sorry General Sephiroth sir, but..." Cloud paused, a small smile finally beginning to show through, "What are you doing?"

Sephiroth met the blonde's gaze and replied flatly "I am sitting on Lieutenant Fair..."

"Um, yes sir... but... _why_?" Cloud snorted, and Sephiroth looked puzzled by the mere question.

"It is the only way I have found thus far that effectively quietens him. I presume it is much the same effect as a mother hen nesting on her chicks..." Sephiroth replied matter-of-factly, and Zack whined.

"Pleeeeeease... get off... meeeee?"

After several moments of Cloud giggling himself into hysterics and Sephiroth watching him with growing amusement, the General removed himself from Zack's chest and allowed the Lieutenant freedom to move.

"Gaia!" Zack choked, "That's about the fifth time you've pulled that shit on me!"

"And yet you are starting to learn how to speak during it. I may have to invest in some tranquilisers..." Sephiroth teased, before standing and gesturing for the blonde to take a seat. Cloud did so a little reluctantly, as Sephiroth nodded in the pair's direction.

"I will return tomorrow morning at about 0800 to check in on you, Lieutenant. I expect you will have your results by then, cadet?" Sephiroth asked, and Cloud nodded, offering a salute as the General slipped out without another word.

"He's um... he's a little weirder than everyone thinks... But I guess that there are plenty of boys in my class who would love to hear that he sits on other men..." Cloud snorted, as Zack did the same.

"How was your day Cloud? It was weird having Stuffy-pants around whilst you were gone..." Zack sighed, and the blonde smiled slightly.

"It was ok I guess. I was really worried about you though. I hope I didn't screw up my tests because of it..." The blonde frowned slightly, but brushed it away just as quickly, "It's ok though. I'm glad you're alright."

Zack's breath caught in his throat then as Cloud leant over and squeezed the Lieutenant into a hug.

_...Oh ... my... god..._

Cloud pulled back and grinned sheepishly.

"I guess your affectionate side's rubbing off on me..." Cloud shrugged slightly, his cheeks tinged a light pink. Zack, still caught in a momentary stupor, shook his head clean and grinned wickedly.

"Not enough, I say!" He declared loudly, before tackling the blonde and squeezing him into a hug of his own. Once again, Zack more spontaneous side overcame him, and he planted another kiss on the blonde's temple.

Cloud wriggled his nose and snorted.

"That was way too sloppy!" Cloud protested, as Zack pouted, pulling away to sulk at the blonde.

"I can't help it if you taste like a cross between candy and licorice..."

"Do I really?"

"I dunno, I just like to kiss people!" Zack snorted, thanking his own conscious that he had not slipped up and said 'you' instead of 'people'. Cloud rolled his eyes then and smiled.

"ANYWAYYY, I am going in the shower. I smell and I have puppy slobber all over my face..." Cloud teased, as Zack stuck out his tongue, all immaturity and undeniable bliss with life as it was right at that moment.

--

Zack stretched languidly as Cloud did the same beside him. The pair had settled for the night and were now idly watching a 40 something year old show about a boy and his super smart Chocobo. As far as Zack could interpet, "Wark wark, warkwark warkkk warrrrrk!" loosely translated to "Little Timmy's trapped down the well". At least it did in the world of 'Speedy the brush Chocobo'.

"You can clearly tell that his claws are fake... how the hell would a chocobo pick up a ping pong ball without falling over anyway?" Cloud sighed, as he roughly towel dried his hair. Zack could empathise. Although both of their hairstyles were short, they had thick hair and Zack knew from experience that it could take hours to dry properly.

"Eh, you're not meant to focus on that..." Zack shrugged, "You're meant to sit back and enjoy the show..."

"Enjoy it?" Cloud snorted, "I can't handle this cliche crap..."

Zack swatted Cloud with the tv guide and the blonde grinned cheekily.

"Come on, didn't you have any pets when you were a kid?" Zack asked curiously, and the blonde tensed before shrugging slightly.

"yeah... how about you?"

"I had three cats and a turtle. Until one of the cats tried to eat the turtle and failed quite epicly..." Zack mused, "Then I just had two cats."

The blonde's eyes widened slightly, and it was apparent he was suppressing a surprised laugh.

"Your turtle _killed_ your cat?"

"Well..." Zack shrugged, "Fluffy had a decent chew on Lightning the turtle. Enough to kill him. Then Fluffy decided she was going to try and start the digesting process and swallowed him whole. Lightning got his own back when Fluffy started choking on him and decreased my pet count by 50."

The blonde looked a balanced cross between horrified and amazed. It was then that Zack gave a sly smirk and poked the blonde in the ribs.

"Well come on then, you tell your pet story..." Zack teased, but Cloud simply shook his head.

"It's not that important really..."

"Aw come on Cloudy, I'm sure it's an adorable little story. What did you have?"

"A hand raised Nibel wolf..." Cloud shrugged awkwardly, "But can we talk about something else please? It's just... I dunno, a bit of a touchy subject..."

Zack watched the uncomfortable unease in the blonde's eyes and nodded. If Cloud was so adamantly against speaking about the pet, the Lieutenant wasn't going to force him into it.

"Sorry Cloud. I guess I get a bit pushy hey?" Zack frowned slightly, as the blonde lifted slightly glassy eyes.

_...Shit blondey, somthing horrible must have happened to you..._

"Heyyy..." Zack smiled slightly, ruffling the blonde's hair, "We'll talk about anything you want, yeah?"

Cloud nodded and shook his head slightly.

"I'm sorry Zack, I guess I'm still a kid..." The blonde shrugged and Zack shook his head.

"No no, you should feel very angry actually. Extremely angry. Do you know why?" Zack asked, and the blonde shook his head, "Because I put you in a bit of a bad state, and that bastard General of yours has my chocolate..."

Cloud laughed at this and it was enough to provoke a wide grin from the Lieutenant.

"Oi! He gave us popcorn I think. You like popcorn right? We'll watch a movie of some sorts and charge it to Sephiroth's tab?" Zack grinned, and Cloud snorted.

"Sounds like a great plan if you don't get caught."

"He's a kitten. I could pretty much guarantee that if he let anyone close enough to touch his hair, he'd purr..." Zack teased, and Cloud snorted once again. Seeing the smiles returning more easily to Cloud's face, Zack took his cue stood up before heading for the kitchen.

_...Gaia Cloud... I hate whatever on this planet brought that expression to your face..._

The phone rang shrilly, and Zack picked it up without second thought.

"Yo General Stuffy-pants. I was just complaining about you. You know what they say, speak of the devil and he'll call you up to complain about how _fat_ you're getting..." Zack rambled with a pout, before freezing at the sound of a woman's voice.

"...Cloud?"

"Oh! Gaia, no sorry. I thought you were someone else. After Cloud were you?" Zack asked cheerfully.

"Yes actually. He's not in bed is he?"

"No ma'am. He's watching 'Speedy the Brush Chocobo'. I don't think he's enjoying it all that much..." Zack grinned, and the woman laughed.

"Oh he always hated those cliche shows. And for Shiva's sake, he should be getting more rest than what he does. He's going to end up passing out one of these days, I tell you..."

"We look after him well ma'am. I'll put him on for you..." Zack grinned as he walked into the lounge, and Cloud looked up.

"Thank you..."

"Zack. Zack Fair."

"Thank you Zack. Have a good evening."

"You too!" the Lieutenant grinned before roughly tossing the phone to the blonde. Cloud raised it to his ear and said a soft 'hello' before a soft smile crept along his lips.

"Hey mum..." He murmured, and Zack damn near passed out.

_...Oh shit. Talk about bad first impressions..._

Zack hadn't meant to eavesdrop, but as soon as he'd entered the kitchen, he'd allowed his hyper-sensitive hearing to pick up their conversation.

"...seems like a lovely boy..." Mrs. Strife said lightly.

"He's great mum, but he doesn't stay here, he lives here... you know, we live together..."

"Oh!"

"Oh wait mum, no!" Cloud whined, "Gaia, you're always jumping to conclusions..."

"Is he a SOLDIER?"

"First Class Lieutenant."

"Ooh..."

"Mum!" Cloud whined again, and his mother laughed lightly.

"You know how I wanted you with someone who would look after you well!"

"You also passed out when I told you I was gay..."

"I just wasn't expecting it! You know I'm thrilled to talk about men in uniform with someone for a change..." Mrs. Strife laughed again, and Zack heard Cloud groan with what could only be embarrassment.

"So what's so bad about this Mister Fair, charming voice extraordinaire?" Mrs. Strife asked and Cloud sighed.

"Nothing's _bad_ mum."

"Then what's the problem?"

"I don't know... Nothing I guess... I just..."

"Do you have feelings for him?" Cloud's mum asked simply.

Zack's heart froze in the long pause that followed, and he choked down as much oxygen as he could. Eavesdropping could turn out to be the best choice he had made for a long time.

"I... I dunno yet mum. You know I'm not big on showing affection and all..." Cloud said quietly, and Zack wasn't sure how to react.

"Well maybe you should be a little more affectionate and see how you feel about it. Is he the affectionate type?" She asked, and Zack smiled as Cloud snorted.

"You have _no _idea..."

"Then what do you have to lose? See where this goes honey!"

"Mum!"

"What?!"

"I don't even know how he feels about _me. _I swear you just want to see me married off to someone..." Cloud sulked.

"No baby, I just want to see you _happy_..." Mrs. Strife replied softly, "Did you think you'd be at Shinra if I made everything about my happiness?"

There was another pause, and Zack thought perhaps they had stopped talking entirely.

"I'm really happy mum..." the blonde replied finally, and Zack smiled to himself. He quickly snapped out of it however as he zoned into the popping sound coming from the microwave signifying that the popcorn was ready. He plucked the bag from the microwave and emptied its contents into a bowl. By the time he'd zoned into their conversation again, the topic has changed.

"...I think I went ok today..." Cloud said quietly.

"Ok?"

"I think I did really good actually. But you know..."

"Oh babycakes, I wish you would have more confidence! Goodness, I've been trying to push it into you for years..."

"Sorry mum..."

"It's ok honey. I just care about you."

"I know mum."

"Which is why you should call me more often!"

"Mum! You know I only get a phone call a week!" Cloud whined, and Zack grinned at the inner child of Cloud that his mother brought out do easily.

"Ask Mister Fair for a few more, hey?" Mrs. Strife chuckled, "And whilst you're at it, figure out a way to... repay him?"

"Gaia mum, what the heck is wrong with you?!" Cloud cried, and Zack snorted quietly into his hand.

"Can I talk to him?"

"...he's busy..." Cloud hurried, and Zack grinned deviously, before making his way into the lounge.

"POPCORNNN!" He cried at the top of his lungs, before pulling a sheepish face.

"Oh, sorry Cloud! Didn't know you were still on the phone..." Zack shrugged, and Cloud seemed to cringe slightly. Cloud simply held out the phone to Zack, as the Lieutenant took it.

"Yellow?" Zack said, and he heard the woman laugh on the other end of the line.

"Good evening Zack. My name's Olinda by the way, and I am Cloud's mother. How are you?"

"I'm good thank you Mrs. Strife. How are you this evening?"

"Well thank you. You're a very polite boy, aren't you?" She chuckled to herself, and Zack grinned at the seemingly sinking Cloud.

"Thank you Mrs. Strife."

"Call me Olinda dear. I hear you actually live with my son?"

"I sure do. He's a treasure..." Zack grinned, as Cloud rolled his eyes, and the blonde's mother laughed.

"He is isn't he? Do you really look after him then Lieutenant?"

"I try my hardest Olinda. It's nice having him around, that's for sure..."

"Ah goodness, you are simply edible!" she laughed, "A mother loves to know that her son is being looked after."

"I give you my word!" Zack grinned, and she laughed once again. Zack wondered if anyone else in Cloud's family was so fun and carefree, as she thanked him gratiously before being asked to speak to Cloud once again.

Zack handed back the phone, and the blonde took it almost fearfully.

"...yes mum?"

"Oh honey, go for him! I bet you he's _gorgeous_. Is he gorgeous? I'm thinking big blue eyes and spikey brown hair..."

"Black, mum."

"Is he really?"

"_No_ mum... his _hair._.." Cloud sighed, throwing a sideways glance at the Lieutenant who was supressing a smirk.

"My mum wants to know what you look like..." Cloud mumbled in explanation, and Zack grinned.

"Tell her I look like you, but bigger and goofier and with black hair..." Zack teased, and Cloud sighed.

"Does he really?!" Olinda laughed, and Cloud sighed.

"I have to go mum. Can I can you in a few days..."

"Of course. Get to bed soon, you'll be exhausted and for Shiva's sake, you let me know how you went on those tests!"

"'kay mum..."

"I love you honey. Remember what I said!"

"Yes mum. You too..." Cloud said softly, before pressing the 'call end' button before she could say anything else.

"Your mum's awesome!" Zack grinned, and Cloud swatted him with a cushion.

The pair were quiet for some time then, as they shovelled copious amounts of popcorn into their mouths and watched 'Mako Mayhem!' with mild interest. Zack had seen the film twelve times, and Cloud had rivalled it with a proclamation to have see it fourteen times, but neither could confirm or deny the other's claim and settled on an even tie of thirteen times each.

"I like this part coming up..." Zack grinned, as the pair watched the screen.

'Oh Fabian! I am forever grateful for your heroic deeds!' The heroine Maxine had cried dramatically, before Fabian ran past in all his glory, squealing like a girl as a spider crawled across his shoulder.

"Is it because it's something you can relate to?" Cloud teased, as Zack pouted. He should have known the blonde would bring up the fear of spiders at one time or another. Zack didn't really have a major issue with them, only if they were bigger than a gil and had more hairs than the average nostril. Cloud poked him in the ribs then and grinned deviously.

"Hojo has a whole case of them in the labs. I could borrow one if you like..." Cloud grinned, and Zack scowled.

"Blech... No thanks..." Zack screwed up his nose in distaste, and the blonde snorted, stretching and eventually getting far over enough to lean on Zack's shoulder. Zack looked at him, and the blonde gave him a questioning look.

"Do you mind? I'm just kind of tired..." Cloud smiled a little, and Zack grinned.

"Of course I mind!" The Lieutenant snorted, before lifting his arm and pulling Cloud to lay across his chest. The blonde let out the usual squeak of surprise, before seemingly relaxing and reaching for the popcorn bowl.

"Thanks Zack... for you know, caring..." Cloud shrugged slightly, "it's a really nice feeling..."

"I'm glad..." Zack replied, as the pair fell silent once again. In this new position, Zack himself was finding it harder to keep his eyes open, and it wasn't long before sleep had begun nipping at his heels.

--

_"My boy..." The familiar face smiled slightly._

_"Grammy?"_

_"Come here, come here, let me get a look at you..." She beckoned, as Zack walked through the darkness towards her._

_"I'm surprised you let me fall asleep first..." Zack teased, "Gaia must be feeling generous today..."_

_"That is because __I__ brought you here to see you, not Gaia. She merely carries me on her breath..." She smiled, "How are you?"_

_"I'm good Grammy. I'm... happy..." Zack grinned, and she clapped her hands. _

_"Oh! I can see it! You glow!" She laughed, before it faded into a soft smile. She rached out and gently pat Zack's arms._

_"Ah, it is genuine, so I am happy. Far too often I saw you smile, but it was only as a mask to hide your tears..."_

_Zack tensed slightly at the words and Grammy smiled somewhat slightly._

_"Busted?"_

_"I'll never forgive myself, Grammy..." The Lieutenant frowned, and the old woman shook her head and 'tsk'ed. _

_"Zachary, Zachary, Zachary... If he found forgiveness so easily, why can't you?" She asked._

_"He forgives me?"_

_"Of course. He asked you for it and he despised that which he had become. He is more than forgiving..." She smiled, "he is grateful..."_

_They were quiet for sometime as the world around them faded to Cosmo Canyon, and they took their all too familiar seats by the fire. Zack had become distant in his thoughts and Grammy seemed both aware and accepting of this. After some time of her prodding the fire and Zack staring blankly into it, she spoke again._

_"How do you feel about Cloud after what he has told you today?"_

_"When he was talking to his mum?" Zack asked, and Grammy merely nodded. _

_...How do I feel? How __do__ I feel?..._

_"I feel..." Zack paused, "I feel... like there's hope..."_

_"Gaia has begun to change..." Grammy said suddenly, a small smile licking at her lips._

_"Change?"_

_"Yes. For reasons that Gaia did not expect... She must change to accomodate, and thankfully, you may remain how you are for the time being..."_

_"You're making no sense. Must be the senility, Grammy..." Zack teased, receiving a clip across the back of the head in return. The old woman laughed before wagging her finger._

_"No more cheekiness from you! You may be grown uop but you are not so big that I can not still smack you!" Grammy warned, before laughing further. _

_"What's __in__ that tea you drink, Grammy?" Zack laughed, and the woman's laughter died down into a smile. _

_"Green tea leaves, Jojun extract, cinnamon, poppula, syenta and honey..." She said softly, "It suits my needs very well..."_

_"Oh really? Well I'll get you to write the recipe down for me sometime. I'll forget it I guarantee!" Zack grinned, and Grammy pinched his cheeks. _

_"Ah my boy. Come to Cosmo with your General. He is required here in a week. Bring the blonde one..." She smiled widely, "I feel that I must meet him personally."_

_"Ok, I will..." Zack nodded, and Grammy's smile softened even further._

_"He is wonderful, I know, because he already makes you so happy in here..." she said softly as she put a hand on Zack's chest, "The planet has such big plans for him..."_

_She sighed softly, as she turned to the night sky, and Zack did the same. In Cosmo, the stars were so very different from those in Midgar. For one thing, they were clear, and not hidden behind a haze of mako and thick smog. For another, they were in such abundance that they lit the sky with their ethereal glow. _

_"Look over there..." She smiled, taking a hold of Zack's chin and forcing his gaze to three bright stars aligned in a straight row. They were by far the brightest in the sky, and yet their glow remained soft and at ease._

_"Just yesterday those stars were of contrasting levels of light..." Grammy explained, "The right burned too brightly in its travels, the middle remained as balanced as it is now, and the left was the softest of the three and barely recognisable..."_

_Grammy laughed softly to herself and shook her head slightly._

_"It is not only Gaia that shows us our paths. It is the stars... They are even capable of showing the change within pathways... Ah Zachary, it fills me with an undescribable joy that the three are aligned as they are now and in such harmony... They were not intending to be..." She smiled widely, "But they accomodate, just like Gaia..."_

_"How are things changing?"_

_"I'm not at liberty to say, my boy. __She__ is the one you must speak to..."_

_"Who is she?"_

_"You'll know when you meet her..." Grammy smiled mysteriously._

_"Grammyyyy, stop being such a tease!" Zack whined, and the old woman laughed._

_"As restless as a puppy. Angeal named you well..." She teased, and Zack rolled his eyes. They then spent several hours talking about anything and everything, and Grammy even taught Zack how to make a woven basket, before the sun's rays began to illuminate the plains surrounding the canyon and set the sky ablaze. _

_"It is always so nice to see you Zack..." She smiled, "It makes an old woman forget how lonely Gaia can be."_

_"Lonely? There are plenty of people in Cosmo..."_

_"They do not believe my ways, Zachary. They feel as if I am... how would you Midgarians say it... 'Losing my marbles' ?" Grammy laughed, and Zack pulled her into a hug._

_"Everyone's a little crazy Grammy!" He grinned, "They'll come around one day. I believe in you whole heartedly."_

_She simply nodded then, and smiled a little sadly._

_"Thank you Zachary... Now go! Make sure the blonde one wakes up for his test results..." Grammy smiled knowingly, "I believe his mother is anxious..."_

_Zack nodded and stood up, before the world started fading around him instantly, leaving barely any time to wave a quick goodbye to Grammy._

_--_

Zack woke with a smile on his face at the realisation that the blonde was still nestled peacefully against his chest and snoring softly. They'd both fallen asleep in front of the tv and left the half eaten bowl of popcorn discarded on te table. As Zack stretched as best as he could without waking the sleeping bundle against his chest, he made a resolution.

_...By the end of today, I'm going to let you know exactly how I feel, Cloud..._

He watched the blonde sleep for a little while, his mind straying slightly as he watched the blonde's lips part as he breathed.

_...Beautiful..._

He shook the blonde slightly and sleep fogged eyes blearily opened to gaze at him.

"Hrm?" Cloud mumbled.

"Time to get up princess, you've got some test results to go and grab..." Zack grinned, and Cloud sat up, stretching widely.

"...oh yeah..." the blonde murmured, standing up slowly and stretching once again, "What's the time?"

"About six. The sun just came up in Wutai."

"What?"

"It's about six..." Zack grinned, as Cloud eyed him off as if he had a screw loose. Zack took the absence of the blonde as his own cue to stretch and lounged out casually across the couch.

"Don't you have to go to the General's office?" Cloud asked, and Zack raised an eyebrow.

"Are you kidding? He'd send me back home. He's paranoid I'm going to fall over or something..." Zack snorted, and Cloud sighed, heading for his room.

Zack began making some toast knowing full well that the blonde would neglect to eat otherwise and thrust it into his hands as he entered the kitchen. Cloud light heartedly rolled his eyes as he took a bite, and Zack playfully ruffled the blonde's hair.

"You look gorgeous when you're sleeping..." Zack smirked, "I was almost going to let you miss your results..."

Cloud blushed and hid himself behind the fridge door in his search for milk.

"I guess you're comfortable..." He murmured, as Zack watched his back form a shrug. The Liuetenant smiled and boldly leant against the counter as the blonde re-emerged.

"You're not denying my compliments, are you Cloud?" Zack teased, and the blonde snorted.

"You're going to make me late..." Cloud sighed, and the Lieutenant shook his head.

"I'm intending on going with you actually. I have to find out those scores..." Zack shrugged, "So that I can brag about how my cadet kicked Johnson's cadet's ass."

"Second Lieutenant Johnson?" The blonde queried, "Doesn't he have Michelin as a cadet?"

"Yeah, that's his name."

"No _way _am I going to beat Michelin. That guy's like, a genius. He's never stuffed up in anything..." Cloud whined, "God, you won't hate me if he does beat me, will you?"

Zack sighed, and flung his arm around the blonde's shoulder.

"You are an asshole Cloud, you know why?"

"Why?"

"Because I couldn't hate your spikey ass if I tried to..." Zack teased, ruffling the blonde's hair again.

"Gaia Zack, you're in a good mood..." Cloud laughed, swatting the Lieutenant away.

"I had a good dream I guess..." Zack grinned, "Come on, we'll go get your results and open them when we get back here."

"Why when we get back?"

"Because Sephiroth will be here, duh..."

Zack smiled slightly as he steered the cadet to the door, visibly paler than he was before the Lieutenant's last statement.

--

The large group of cadets were lining up like sheep at a slaughterhouse, whilst their first class mentors stood beside them looking much the same. Still, they were managing to offer small words of reassurance.

"Even if you _do _get below 60, it's not the end of the world..."

"...Some of the best get below 80s. Heck, I got a 79, and that's saying something!"

"Pffsh, these hardly count for anything. I've been telling you that all year."

Zack grinned then as a familiar voice rang out.

"Only two sons of bitches that I know of to get their asses over the line were the General and Lieutenant Fair. One of them got it because he is a complete and utter asshole for being better than me, and the other was because he was Sephiroth!"

Zack made his way to the crowd to raise his eyebrow at none other than Damien, who snorted upon sight of the Lieutenant.

"Well fancy that. Baby blue eyes shows up on command. I should do that more often, you're ever so pleasing on the eyes..." Damien teased, and Zack rolled his own. Cloud sidled up beside him and Zack reluctantly introduced him to the Major.

"Cloud, this is Major McConnahy and you should stay well away from him..." Zack smirked, as Damien held out his hand and shook it.

"Why hello there buttercup..." Damien cooed, "You're the one Zack spotted first day. Well donr. You're both incredibly appealing, so I envy the situation you've both found yourselves in."

"Major McConnahy used to be my room mate..." Zack explained.

"Yes, and your petite charm snatched those tight little buns away from me..." Damien pouted, "I lost all my eye candy..."

Cloud gave a small wave to the mousey brunette beside Damien, and the cadet waved back.

"Oh shit yes, how rude of me..." Damien cried exaggeratedly, "This is my little bundle of love, Taylor. Taylor, meet Lieutenant Fair. I believe you had a crush on him as a junior, didn't you say?"

The brunette blushed furiously and Zack reached out to ruffle his hair.

"It's alright, I'm flattered. Nice to meet you Taylor. I feel sorry that you're the poor kid that got stuck with this bastard..." Zack smirked, and Taylor blushed again.

"He's actually really good sir, he just embarrasses me..." Taylor shrugged slightly.

"I've been making moves on the sweetheart since I found him, and he still won't budge!" Damien cried, as Taylor rolled his eyes.

"I have a _girlfriend_..." Taylor sighed, and Damien snorted.

"Pffsh, girlfriend smirlfriend. We'll convert you in no time."

Zack knew from personal experience that Damien worked with the environment he had. At home, he was fun loving and spontaneous, but he was also caring and somewhat quiet. Surrounded by people, he knew how to work a crowd, and did so by grabbing as much of their attention as he could. Zack could easily consider him one of his best friends.

"I never thought I'd say this, but enough about me," Damien said matter-of-factly, "What on Gaia has been wrong with _you, _my maiden in distress?"

Zack clipped the Major across the head, who grinned deviously in reply.

"Ooh, don't. I might like it..."

"I have been ill, that's all you need to know..." Zack said airily, and Damien whined.

"Oh you're such a tease. I would have been over there in a second to spoon feed you chicken soup if it had have meant not facing Sephiroth at weapons training..."

"He picked you whilst I was gone then?" Zack mused, and Damien sulked.

"Apparently he _had_ to because no one else would. He asked who wanted sword training over night sticks, and I was too busy watching Johnson do push-ups that I didn't put my hand down when he asked for a person to volunteer..." Damien sighed, "Just my luck..."

"Alright alright!" A weedy executive cried out through a megaphone as he appeared on the stage before them. Zack racked his memory for a name to put to the figure, as he continued screeching through the megaphone.

"Can we get all cadets lining up _single file_ at the left side of the stage please..."

_...Ron... Randy..._

"Come up onto the stage, collect your results..."

_...No, no... it was something weird..._

"...then move across the stage and depart from the stairs on the right hand side... Do _not _loiter around the stage area!"

"Reeve!" Zack grinned, the realisation hitting him.

"Yes Lieutenant Fair?" Reeve asked politely, and Zack waved him away.

"Nothing..."

"Alright, let's begin then."

Reeve Tuetsi. Zack had never really much liked him. It wasn't because the guy was an ass or anything, he just leant a little too far to the boring side for Zack to pay him too much attention. Cloud shuffled into the line with Taylor, and the cadets exchanged nervous glances. Cloud then faced Zack.

"You'll be fine Spike!" Zack reassured, grinning widely and pulling a smile from Cloud in response. One cadet after the other moved up the line, collected their results and sidled of the stage, hurriedly tearing the envelope open and scanning their results. The reactions were varying, as Zack made his way to the other side to wait for Cloud, and each SOLDIER would reassure or praise their cadets depending on result. When Cloud collected his envelope, he hurriedly stuffed it in his pocket and headed off stage. Zack flung his arms around the blonde and squeezed.

"Whatever you've got, I'm so proud of you, and I know Seph is too..." The Lieutenant grinned. Cloud nodded meekly, and the pair headed home.

--

**A/N:** Can anyone say Trojan? Cause that's the kind of VIRUS I HAD THAT NEARLY KILLED MY COMPUTER! Sorry for the 'later than I said' update, but yeah, couldn't help it. lol. I dunno what to think of this chapter. If it sucked, please let me know. The next chapter's pretty good so far, but not finished. :P Hang in there and check my profile for updates. xoxox


	7. Admissions

No excuses. Life is just shit. I'm sorry, as is usual, because I hate feeling like I've disappointed. Please bear with me for a few more weeks...

Anyway, I'll ask now, I write up a summary of every multi-chap fic that I write. Naturally, there is one for Rendezvous. Who (besides Brunette) would be interested in a copy at the end of the story? Lemme know via pm or whatever. There's always some nice little surprises in there as well as character details, inspirations, story alternative ideas, and other bits and pieces.

**Warnings: No yaoi in this chappie, still shounen-ai.**

**I don't own FFVII. I just write these stories as a fanbased lamentation of what they refuse to create... Boy smex. -le cry-**

_Rendezvous - Chapter 7 _

_Cloud gets his results for his test, and Zack cons Sephiroth into taking them out for a celebratory dinner. Zack ... confesses! -gasp-_

_--_

"Do you think Cloud did well?"

"Possibly... Ooh, but maybe inside, they give you like, prizes!"

"Prizes?"

"Like a golden ticket or something. You know, like that movie. What's it called?"

"...The Golden Ticket?"

"_That's_ the one."

"Do you think they're ok in there?"

"Naturally! Have you seen those two? Two peas in a pod, although _undoubtedly_ you got the cuter one..."

Zack and Damien were sitting on the lounge room floor, waiting for Sephiroth to arrive for the grand opening of Cloud's results. Zack had a sneaking suspicion that Damien had no interest in the results whatsoever, and was mainly focused on the catching of the General off duty, although he wasn't too eager to suggest that for fear of sending Damien into a falsified rant of how little Zack appreciated him visiting.

"I did, huh?" Zack teased, "Although Taylor's quite a little cutie himself."

Damien pulled a face, seemingly a cross between horror and despair.

"_Don't_ rub it _in_ Zack! Oh Gaia, he is _adorable_!" Damien sighed, falling backwards onto the rug and spreading his arms out.

"Is he the real deal or do you just want him so badly because he's out of bounds?" Zack asked, raising an eyebrow, and Damien merely offered a sly smile. Zack rolled his eyes and stood up to take the still abandoned popcorn bowl to the kitchen.

"While you're up, can you grab me a soda? You have soda yes? He _must_ buy you soda, I swear he fawns over you and _GOD _you make me hate you sometimes..." Damien whined, as he pouted at Zack from the floor.

"Yes, I have soda."

"Then move it sexy! I'm after an excuse to watch your ass, and you're just not giving it to me!"

Zack grinned and walked to the kitchen, pointedly swaying his hips as Damien whined.

"Oh rub it in why don't you, you bastard!"

Zack slipped into the kitchen and pulled two bottles of soda from the fridge. He eyed off the envelope stuck to the fridge, whilst Damien whined from the lounge room. Zack couldn't hear him, but he doubted it was important anyway. The Lieutenant had to admit, he did miss spending time with the Major, as the pair had gone through their entire training regime together, and somehow had managed to be moved in ranking at the same times. Now that Zack lived with Cloud and Damien lived with Taylor, the pair rarely saw eachother unless they happened to be leading their understudies through the same routine areas at the same time. Zack slipped into the lounge and raised an eyebrow slightly as Damien sprawled out across the living room floor, casting tiny fire spells from the ends of his fingertips.

"You singe anything and I'm gonna kick your ass," Zack warned.

"Do my eyebrows count?" The Major grinned, holding out his hand expectantly for a soda. Zack threw it at him and fell on the floor beside him.

"So," Damien said just a little too casually for Damien, "When might you be expecting the almighty Lord of hotness?"

"I don't know, sometime this morning. You can leave if you're gonna be a pain in the ass..." Zack scowled, and Damien flung an arm around him placing a kiss chastely on his lips.

"You _know _I love you!" the Major pouted again, and Zack shook his head.

"Don't pull that on me. I _invented_ that" Zack teased, as Damien let out a sigh.

"Fine, fine. We'll let you and your little babydoll have some alone time!" Damien cried.

"I didn't say th-"

"Oh please, whether you said it or not, who would _not_ want some alone time with that little ball of love?" Damien smirked, pushing himself off the ground and onto his feet.

"TAYLORRR!" He shouted, "Get your ass out here, we're going home kiddo!"

The Major's cadet bounded in a short time later, packed and ready to go, the blonde following soon after.

"Did you have fun babycakes?" Damien cooed, as a mother may to her child.

"Yes..." Taylor replied in apparent annoyance.

"Oh cheer up sunshine, I'll take you out for ice cream or something. You did good, yeah?" Damien grinned, slinging an arm around his cadet's shoulders.

"I did, hey?" Taylor grinned, and Zack nodded.

"I _hate_ how you managed to get him the closest to gay he'll ever be!" Damien whined in Zack's direction.

"I was a bag of hormonal teenager! I didn't know what the hell I wanted!" Taylor snapped in defence, blushing furiously once again. Damien shrugged, and steered the cadet for the door.

"Say hello to your guard dog, won't you Zacky? Maybe give him a hot, raunchy kiss just for me? Oh Gaia, the mental images," Damien lamented, before Zack promptly closed the door after him, and turned to face a smirking Cloud.

"Don't you start, Spikey. I can get _him_ to sit on _you _if you don't watch it..." Zack teased, and Cloud let out a bark of laughter.

"I'm frail, you wouldn't do that would you?" the blonde smiled, sitting on the couch and idly toying with his thumbs. Zack picked up almost instantly on the nervousness of the blonde, as Cloud took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. The Lieutenant fell on the couch beside him and roughly grabbed him, dragging him to lay across his chest like he had last night.

"You'll have done really well, I swear it!" Zack grinned, as Cloud lifted a smiling face from the confines of Zack's sweater and raised an eyebrow.

"How do you _know_?" the blonde asked, "All I did was sit down, and you just _knew_."

"I'd like to think I know a fair bit about you by now, blondie..." Zack teased, ruffling Cloud's hair as the blonde pouted indignantly.

"Who said I wanted a hug anyway?"

"You love it. You won't admit it, but you dooo!" Zack teased further, and the blonde's cheeks began to tinge pink once again.

"Asshole..." He replied, burying his face against Zack's chest once again. Zack felt his own cheeks warming as he saw his window. Right now was as good a time as any, and if worst came to worse, he could say that he said it to try and keep the blonde's mind from his test results.

"Cloud?"

"Hmmm?"

"There's something I wanted to tell you, actually."

Cloud raised a curious gaze to meet Zack's. The Lieutenant couldn't blame him for the interest, as it was not often that Zack was so serious. Zack froze up though, that flawless face gazing up at him with such trust and comfortability...

"You ok?" Cloud asked, and Zack nodded, before the blonde's eyes turned to the door. Zack did the same and mentally reminded himself that he _was_ going to kick Sephiroth's ass sometime. His timing was always impeccably _bad_.

"Am I interrupting anything?" The General asked lightly, as he closed the door behind him.

"Not really General Sephiroth, sir. Zack was just going to tell me something?" Cloud smiled, as he sat up and stretched casually. Sephiroth turned to meet Zack's gaze and found a death glare directed at him. The General then seemed to have realised what was happening and was resisting a smirk.

"I'm sure he'll tell you later, Cloud. Where are your results?"

"I'll go get them..." Cloud said quietly, standing up and heading for the kitchen. A mildly icy silence followed, before Sephiroth smirked slightly.

"I apologise Zack," Sephiroth said softly, as the blonde disappeared.

"You knew, didn't you? You knew what I was going to say."

"Yes," Sephiroth nodded slightly, as he moved to take a seat by the table, "and I admire your courage."

_...Talk to me about it, Sephiroth... tell me about Angeal..._

There was once again no window of opportunity however, as Cloud returned, walking with the envelope as if it may explode, before handing it to the General.

"Could you open it please, sir?" the blonde asked, as Sephiroth's lips curled upwards slightly.

"If you desire me to do so."

"Yes please..."

Cloud then took his seat by Zack and leant forward on his elbows as Sephiroth delicately tore open the paper. Zack decided to be a little daring and slipped his fingers to intertwine with Cloud's. The blonde turned an anxious smile to meet him briefly, before turning back to face the General and the envelope.

For reasons even Zack wasn't overly sure for, these mid course tests were ranked of higher importance than the overall SOLDIER exams. These results were the prime material for ranking a cadet on how much potential they were believed to hold. Zack's results on these very exams are what got him noticed by Angeal, got him noticed by Sephiroth... It didn't matter how many people tried to reassure their cadets that their results were nothing in comparison to their end of year exams, these test results were the be all and end all of SOLDIER. It didn't even surprise Zack that many rumours of Sephiroth ended with "...with a single sword strike! Did you know he got 99.99 on his test back in cadetship?"

_...He would have gotten 100 if it was statistically possible... _

The results were out of the envelope now, and Sephiroth's eyes were raking the paper, as he nodded slightly. He then turned the paper over quite delicately and scanned the comparisons of Cloud results to the other cadets.

"God damn it Sephiroth, just tell us how he went!" Zack snapped, and Cloud laughed, probably out of anxiety beyond anything else. The General merely passed the paper to Zack who took it with his free hand.

_"This letter is to inform you that Mister Cloud Strife of group 4c has achieved an academic achievement test result of 86.46, ranking him amongst the top 0.2 percent of the cadet group this year.'_

Cloud, who was reading over Zack's shoulder, met the Lieutenant's wide eyed gaze with one of his own, before a wide grin lit up his face.

"You clever little bastard!" Zack grinned, before the blonde flung himself into Zack's arms and damned near squeezed the life out of him. Zack gripped back and squeezed the blonde, placing a kiss on the side of his head as the blonde laughed almost hysterically.

"Can you _believe _this?" Cloud laughed, as he pulled back from the Lieutenant and grinned openly. Zack couldn't help but feel a bubble of pride and so much-

_...Shit... so much __love__..._

"Yeah," The Lieutenant said softly, "I can."

Cloud's grin faded to a soft smile then as his bright blue eyes held Zack's.

_...Gah..._

Zack realised then that the pair were sharing a moment of sorts, and the Lieutenant's heart was threatening to leap out of his chest, before once again Sephiroth found the perfect moment to ruin everything.

"As can I, cadet. You have done exceptionally well throughout the year," the General mused, as Cloud pulled slowly back from Zack's arms and grinned at Sephiroth.

"You really think so, sir?" the blonde asked eagerly, as Zack's insides deflated just that little bit more.

"Yes, very much so. You have shown the same potential that Zack always had. I expect you will follow a path much like the Lieutenant's."

"I'd be really proud if that was the case, sir," Cloud smiled, turning back to face the Lieutenant in question, "Thank you so much."

"Don't thank _me_, squirt!" Zack grinned, although he was continuing to mentally lament the loss of possibly one of his most crucial moments with the blonde, and plotting Sephiroth's death by rusty spoon.

"I couldn't have done it without you!" Cloud grinned, turning to face Sephiroth, "Or you, General, sir."

Sephiroth nodded his acceptance, as Zack had an idea form and grinned, before clapping his hands once.

"Sephy-pants! The kid did great yeah?" Zack asked, as emerald eyes narrowed at the nick name.

"Yes, he did incredibly well..."

"Celebratory dinner tonight?" Zack suggested, and Sephiroth raised an eyebrow.

"I have very little gil on me."

Zack scowled and shook his head.

_...Firstly, very little gil could be anywhere in the thousands... Secondly..._

"My shout, General. You, me, and our little Einstein here!" Zack grinned, ruffling the blonde's hair affectionately.

"You don't have to Zack. I'm quite happy to eat whatever..." Cloud grinned shyly, obviously too modest to accept the treat easily.

Sephiroth was smiling somewhat affectionately at the pair of them, and this fact alone both caught Zack off guard and filled him with a sadness he'd never quite come to understand. It was as if being in Sephiroth's mind and memories for that short time had changed him in some way.

"Please Sephiroth? You deserve a good night out too, you know..." Zack smiled, and the General shrugged slightly, a gesture that never seemed to fit him.

"What if it is seen as favouritism?" Sephiroth asked, and Zack paused. He'd never once stopped to consider the thought of how it may appear to have Cloud seen with the General in public. For Zack, it was a given to be seen with Sephiroth, but he was a different circumstance alltogether. Cloud was a cadet, and his results may even be controversial because of his assosciation with both the General and Zack himself. Luckily for Zack, his mind was still racing at a hundred miles an hour, and he smiled widely.

"You're taking me out for dinner because of _my_ efforts with Cloud, and I dragged Cloud along because I didn't want him home alone?" Zack suggested, and Sephiroth seemed to be skeptically considering the idea.

"How would you get people to believe that?" Sephiroth asked and Zack grinned mischieviously.

The Lieutenant picked up the phone and dialled the number he was after.

"Why do you bastards always call when I'm about to eat a meal?" Damien whined down the phone, "I am not interested in changing rate plans et cetera."

"Lunch time, is it?" Zack mused, and Damien snorted.

"Ah Gaia! Hello smexy. Thought you were one of those telemarketer assholes."

"I gathered."

"What do _you_ want then?" Damien purred, "Is it one of those mid day booty calls you have a habit of making me fantasize about?"

"Uh...No," Zack laughed, "I just forgot to tell you something that I know you're going to hate me for."

"Ooh, gossip. Gimme gimme!"

"Sephiroth is shouting me to dinner tonight for making good progress with Cloud's training."

Zack smirked as he heard Damien gasp.

"Oh, but people will think there's something going _on_ between you two! You lucky little shit, how do you fall into these things?!"

"You think that people would really think that?" Zack feigned concern, as Cloud and Sephiroth looked on with curiousity.

"Oh baby, you _know_ they will. What a scandal. This is delish!" Damien cried.

"Do you think I should take Cloud then too?" Zack asked, and Damien feverently insisted that it was the only option that the Lieutenant could take.

"Zacky, you take that hot little piece of ass wherever you go, you understand? Gaia, could you imagine people getting the impression that Sephiroth was spoiling you? What a _scandal_!"

_...Signed, sealed, delivered..._

"Thanks man. I'll catch you later."

"Have fun then! I have a phone call to maaake!" Damien cooed, before hanging up.

"All done!" Zack grinned as he faced the others.

"What exactly did you just do?" Sephiroth asked lightly.

"He loves a scandal and is the biggest gossip in Shinra, especially when he's not sworn to secrecy. By the end of tonight, everyone will firmly believe that you are simply spoiling me to a dinner, and I've brought Cloud along as a sidetrack from that."

Sephiroth furrowed his brows slightly.

"Then how do you intend on quashing any beliefs of favouritism towards you?" Sephiroth asked, and Cloud let out a bark of laughter. The General regarded him, and the blonde blushed slightly.

"I'm sorry sir, but I don't think you'll ever quash those beliefs. They've been around for much longer than today..." Cloud smiled meekly, and Zack shrugged.

"It's true. Come on Seph, when was the last time we went out to dinner?" Zack pouted, and the General's eyes flickered with hurt. Zack's own thoughts did the same as he realised the last time they _did _go out to dinner.

"Please?" Zack grinned innocently, and Sephiroth turned his eyes away in apparent exasperation.

"If it means so much to you, Lieutenant..." the General sighed in defeat as Zack squeezed the blonde beside him. Cloud laughed and pried the Lieutenant off of him.

"Calm down Zack, you're crushing me," Cloud teased, as the Lieutenant eased up and stretched languidly on the sofa.

"What time are we going Sephy?" Zack asked, and the General did his best to refrain from scowling.

"I shall come by at six pm. I have to see Tuetsi."

"Reeve?" Zack asked curiously, and Sephiroth nodded.

"I am meant to get an overall report on the cadet performance. As he is head of Administrations currently, he is in charge of delivering the reports."

Zack nodded in understanding before standing up and heading for the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" Sephiroth warned, as Zack grinned.

"No way are you going to that meeting without me."

"What about Cloud?"

"I'm fine on my own, sir. I'm pretty tired actually, so I'll take advantage of the day off. Maybe I'll call my mum or something?" the blonde shrugged meekly, and Zack beamed.

"What _about_ Cloud? He's just gorgeous. Let him do whatever the hell he wants!" Zack laughed, as Cloud joined in briefly. Sephiroth let out a small sigh of apparent defeat before moving towards the door also and following Zack as he slipped out of his apartment.

--

"Asshole."

"I did try and deter you, if I remember correctly..." Sephiroth smirked, as Zack picked up another manilla folder and scanned through it. The 'meeting' that Sephiroth had spoken of had so far included a twenty second long conversation between the General and Reeve, and four long and arduous hours of _filing_. Zack _hated_ filing.

"That was before I knew what bullshit we were expected to do!" The Lieutenant scowled, before Sephiroth roughly thrust another folder in Zack's direction.

"If you worked as much as you complained, we would be finished."

"We would be finished if you didn't spend like, ten minutes on each file!" Zack retorted, "I _know_ you could read each of those in less than a minute, but nooo! That would be too easy!"

"I enjoy being thorough..." Sephiroth mused, a slightly smirk licking at his lips. Zack then made an assumption as to why Sephiroth was the proverbial cat with the cream.

"You're trying to keep me away from Cloud, aren't you?" Zack gaped, as Sephiroth's smirk merely widened, "What the heck for?!"

"To be honest Lieutenant, I think that he deserves a whole-hearted break without you flitting around like a lovesick puppy..." Sephiroth replied airily, making sure to emphasize the last word effectively.

_...Way to go Sephiroth... You know... Just to piss me off further..._

"You know, you're not that scary!" Zack pouted in defeat, "I could take you out if I tried."

"I don't mean to sound either arrogant or insulting, but I do not fear you, Zachary. Sometimes I look into my own reflection and _I_ fear what I see there..." Sephiroth smirked, "Sometimes you can be your own biggest threat."

Zack fell back against the plush carpet on Reeve's floor, as Sephiroth looked down from the desk.

"You _could_ sit on a chair, Lieutenant."

"No thanks. I'm a lot more comfortable complaining down here _actually_."

"I somehow think that you would be quite content complaining anywhere, Lieutenant."

Sephiroth smirked slightly, before raising an eyebrow at Zack's whine that followed.

"I think I love him, Seph..." Zack then said dejectedly, flinging his arm across his face so that he wouldn't need to see the surprise on the General's face.

"I was well aware that you liked the boy, but how can you be sure it's something deeper?" Sephiroth queried.

"You just... _know_..." Zack sighed, his arm not moving from his eyes.

"Then perhaps you should let him know."

"I'm planning to. Sometime today..." Zack shrugged slightly, finally removing his arm. The General's eyes had softened considerably on sight of the Lieutenant's conflicted gaze, before he swiftly averted them back to his paperwork.

"Be sure that you do," Sephiroth said simply, his emerald gaze swirling slightly with emotion. Zack was just about at breaking point from the mere sight.

"I know, Seph..." Zack blurted before he could stop himself. Sephiroth's gaze returned, filled with puzzlement, as he waited for Zack to continue.

"About what?" The General mused, as his head lifted to gaze once again in Zack's direction.

_...About you... and Angeal... and... Gaia, I can't..._

"Nothing really!" Zack grinned, and Sephiroth raised and lowered an eyebrow in mild annoyance.

_...Sephiroth..._

"Perhaps the dinner would be an ideal time to speak to him. I may have to leave during the course of it anyway?" Sephiroth suggested, as he finally placed the paperwork atop the desk and left it there.

"Thanks Seph, but you really don't have to," Zack grinned, "You can stay for however long you like!"

"No, I may have to in all seriousness," Sephiroth remarked lightly, "The Turks may require SOLDIER assistance."

"For?"

"Nothing all that major," Sephiroth then smirked slightly and shook his head, "That redheaded Turk..."

"Reno?"

"Yes. He's quite the handful, is he not?" Sephiroth queried, and Zack shrugged slightly.

"I guess so. Why do you ask?"

"Tseng assumes that the mission he has been sent on may involve the redhead getting a little too cocky and ruining everything."

Zack laughed a little, his own personal experiences with the redhead thusfar encouraging him to believe that Tseng's fears may well be legitimate.

"Good luck with that..." The Lieutenant muttered under his breath as Sephiroth raised an eyebrow.

"_Regardless_, I may need even you to attend to the matter."

"What, and leave you alone with blondie? Sorry slick but you can be a little intimidating at times," Zack teased, as he sat up from his position on the floor, "Besides, I really really just want to get this done, you know? Do you think you could help make that happen by not having me sent to four corners of the globe?"

Sephiroth offered a small smile in response and Zack figured that it was about as good of a guarantee as he was going to get.

--

"Got any nice dress shirts or anything?"

"Not really."

"That's ok, you can borrow one of mine."

"Where are you taking me?"

"Just out. Gaia, you're so suspicious of my golden pure heart..." Zack pouted slightly, as the blonde swatted at him with the back of his hand. The pair were watching T.V and not overly bothered with the fact that it was quarter past five, and neither were ready for dinner. Zack had been gradually testing his limits for the past half hour or so as the pair sat side by side on the couch. Zack had, at first, tickled the bottom of Cloud's feet with his own, before Cloud had reflexively kicked his foot out and walloped the Lieutenant in the jaw. Zack vowed to himself that that would _not_ be something that he would try in the future, as the blonde apologised feverently for the action. Zack had shrugged it off, and gone for a more full on approach by stretching out languidly and basically draping himself over the blonde. Cloud had laughed and poked Zack's ribs.

"What are you _doing_?" The blonde queried in amusement.

"You're comfy," Zack replied slowly, "So I'm gonna lay on you."

The Lieutenant, then realising that the blonde was not protesting, decided to nuzzle a little playfully into Cloud's side. He then felt a delicious flicker of heat as Cloud ran a hand lazily through the Lieutenant's hair and smirked down at him.

"Good puppy..." the blonde teased, and Zack pouted.

From there, Zack had crept his arms around to encircle Cloud's waist, as the blonde lowered a skeptical gaze down to meet his own. Cloud's cheeks were lightly flushed, and Zack was beginning to feel that his subtle advances hadn't been a waste of time after all. It wasn't long after that that Zack felt sleep starting to take him over in such a comfortable position, and his eyes slipped closed of their own accord.

--

_"Zack."_

_The voice was gentle, soothing, and yet... completely unfamiliar..._

_"Grammy?"_

_"No, not Grammy. The planet has sent another messenger to speak to you this time."_

_"Oh. Where are you?" Zack asked into the seemingly endless dark. A light laugh resounded, and Zack felt any and all of his burdens ease slightly at the sound._

_"You wouldn't see me anyway."_

_"Why not?"_

_"We haven't met. There's no image for you to base me on," The voice explained, "But it's only a matter of time."_

_"What does the planet want this time?" Zack sighed, as he sat himself firmly down on the vast expanse of nothingness and toyed with the hem of his pants._

_"She wants you happy, Zack. It's merely a... Let's call it a check-up?" The female laughed, "It's almost as if Gaia is your keeper now."_

_"Am I doing ok?" Zack teased, and the girl laughed once again. It was a girl, it had to be. The voice was far too young and pure to be anything but. _

_"Yes. Things are going well with Cloud, I see?"_

_"I think so..." Zack replied, unable to suppress the smile creeping along his features._

_"He was going to be a big part of my life, you know?" She said, seemingly in slight amusement._

_"What do you mean?" Zack asked cautiously, as he heard footsteps behind him. He turned, but there was nothing there. _

_"Gaia, she had so much planned. But, destinys can change," She explained, "And that's exactly what you've done Zack. You've changed it. You've saved the world and you don't even know it yet."_

_Zack sat in confusion, as the voice continued in her soft speakings._

_"Have you ever heard of Jenova?" _

_"No?"_

_"She's known as the calamity from the skies, and she is Gaia's greatest foe."_

_..._Calamity from the skies? Didn't Grammy say_..._

_"Something about the Cetra right? And the ultimate dark materia?" Zack offered, and she let out a soft 'hmph'._

_"She's taught you well," She mused, "Yes, that's right. The rebirth of Jenova was to draw out, or summon, the planet's destroyer."_

_"Summon a destroyer? Some kind of materia?"_

_"No, a man."_

_"A man?"_

_"Yes. A man with enough power to kill her. Enough power to kill Gaia..." _

_"That's ridiculous. About the only one who would have anywhere _near_ that kind of power is Se-"_

_Zack froze, as he recalled Grammy's words from their very first encounter._

_... "If nothing in the world would ever surpass your own power... if the only one who could trouble you met your gaze every day... who would your most ominous enemy be?"..._

_..."Sometimes I look into my own reflection and I fear what I see there... Sometimes you can be your own biggest threat."..._

_Zack choked back on a muffled gasp of surprise, and shook his head. _

_"No, not Sephiroth... He wouldn't have the will or the desire..."_

_"No," She agreed softly, "Not _Sephiroth_. Jenova." _

_It almost felt as if Gaia was trying to pull Zack from consciousness again, but Zack knew that that wasn't possible if he was already in Gaia's realm. Even so, the steady throbbing of his head was getting to a point where he was feeling nauseous._

...Sephiroth... the planet's destroyer?

_"I can't... I can't even believe that..." Zack said dejectedly, cradling his face in his hands. Gaia knew all, and her messenger would have no reason to lie to him. He felt the ghosting of a hand resting on his shoulder and was not surprised to find that he could see nothing there._

_"Why so sad?"_

_"What do you mean? My best friend is the be all and ultimate end all of everything!" Zack cried, and she laughed softly._

_"Zack, you've stopped that. Or, more to say, you're going to, and you're not even going to realise you have until after it happens."_

_"He's... it's going to be ok?"_

_"Yes. Everything's changed. Cloud will be free of the burdens he would carry otherwise, and find happiness in that which he would deem to be lost. The ex-Turk will find redemption, and will have no need to bear the horrors of his love's death, and that which she created. The fighter and the gunman will keep their family and friends how they had intended it to be. I myself will live to find that which I have always sought. The cosmonian will be released at the destroyer's will, and the poison that is the manipulator of Jenova... will disappear..." _

_"What does all of that __mean__ though?"_

_"You've done well..." She laughed lightly, before her fingers grasped briefly onto the Lieutenant's shoulder in an offer of comfort._

_"But if so many good things have happened, surely something else changes that would have been better? That would have turned out ok?"_

_She said nothing to that for a long time, and a feeling of dread settled on Zack's shoulders. Somehow, the world was different, and it was all at his own hands. He smiled softly though, realising that if it all came down to one things, Cloud would be happy. _

_"Gaia seeks balance, Zack. She provides it how she sees fit. With every great achievement, something is lost," The girl explained, "Now, this was only a short visit. You have other commitments today."_

_"Say hi to Grammy for me, yeah?" Zack grinned._

_"...Of course. Now off you go. Look after him. Look after both of them."_

_"Wait! What's your name?" Zack asked, but she laughed in return._

_"You'll find out."_

--

Zack stretched languidly, and felt vaguely... uncomfortable? He realised why when he opened his eyes and found Cloud standing beside him.

"Welcome back _princess_," The blonde teased, "I hope you don't mind, but I went through your wardrobe and found a shirt. You should start getting ready, the General will be here soon."

Zack sat up slowly and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, trying to crack the crick out of his neck. It was then that he actually took in Cloud's appearance and felt his breath catch slightly in his throat. The shirt the blonde had picked out was a brandeis blue, and highlighted the colour of his eyes almost perfectly. It didn't clash with his hair, like most of the shades of blue Zack wore did, and it was like the blonde's entire surroundings were wiped out from that gaze. As well as this, Cloud had combed his hair with seemingly copious amounts of hair gel and now had it sitting in a controlled spike, with parts of the longer hair at the front sweeping over his face to create a slight side fringe. It wasn't like the kind that the kids in the city wore though, as it didn't cover his eyes in the slightest, only drew more attention to them. Anywhere on Cloud's face that Zack settled his gaze inevitably drew his eyes to meet Cloud's, and left his heart pounding in his throat.

_...Gaia..._

"Are you alright?" Cloud asked cautiously, frowning slightly.

"Oh God yes," Zack grinned, as Cloud blushed slightly, "You have _style_, blondie."

"I look ok?"

"Are you shitting me? You look _amazing_. Serious. God, I'm gonna look like shit if I walk in there with you. Maybe you can walk a little way back or something so that initially, at least, all eyes will be set on me?" Zack teased playfully, as Cloud rolled his eyes and gave a soft smile before heading for his bedroom.

"You should get ready!" He called out, and Zack sat up, still slightly dazed.

_...Never mind worrying about telling him how you feel, how the hell are you gonna keep your hands off of him?_

Zack stretched then and felt the need for some kind of liquid. He scowled however when he realised that his options were limited to water, coffee and tea, considering Sephiroth had not yet done the groceries.

_...Tea... Oh yeah! _

Zack smiled, as the recipe slipped into his mind and grabbed a lead pencil before he forgot.

"What were they? Uh," Zack pressed the end of the pencil lightly into his head, before it all came back.

_...Green tea leaves... Jojub? No, Joj__un__ extract, cinnamon, poppula, syenta and... honey... I think..._

"Did you say something?" Cloud called from down the hallway.

"Talking to myself, kid!" Zack called back, as he grinned at the paper. He set it on the table and jumped up from the couch, heading for his bedroom.

"They say that's a sign of insanity, you know," Cloud teased from the room next door, "If you talk to yourself."

"Nope. You're only crazy if you start talking _back_," Zack corrected, and Cloud let out a sigh. The Lieutenant figured he would stick to his usual colour theme and pulled out a deep purple dress shirt, before pulling his uniform over his head and tossing it onto the floor.

_...Meh, cleanliness was never my strong point..._

He then pulled the dress shirt on and started buttoning it up.

"That's a good colour on you," Cloud remarked from the doorway, as Zack grinned widely.

"Well then we might just both have to steal the show."

"You're kidding right? We're going to be with _Sephiroth_. You don't think we're going to get more eyes than him, do you?" Cloud stated, skeptically raising an eyebrow.

"Worth a try!"

"You're such an attention whor- Uh, seeker..." Cloud corrected himself hurriedly with a sly grin on his lips, before Zack finished buttoning his shirt and rounded on him.

"What were you gonna say there blondie?" Zack asked coyly, "I don't appreciate language like that in my household."

"That's why I corrected myself. Doesn't stop it from being true though," Cloud said airily, but before Zack could reply he heard Sephiroth's distinct voice calling him from the lounge.

"Ya, ya, I'm coming!" Zack called back, rolling his eyes and drawing a smile from the blonde.

"You're lucky stuffy pants is here..." Zack warned, as Cloud brushed the comment off with a 'pfft'. The blonde hurriedly sprayed his mouth with a peppermint breath freshener, which Zack promptly plucked from his hands. The Lieutenant gave the small bottle a quick glance over, before he too sprayed some in his mouth.

"Mmm, minty..." Zack teased, lightly ruffling the blonde's hair in the process, throwing the bottle on Cloud's bed. The mildly disgruntled blonde went first into the lounge and sat a little stiffly on the couch.

"Good evening General," Cloud smiled timidly, as if testing the limits. Sephiroth was seemingly unphased however, and Zack inwardly scowled.

"Good evening Cloud, how nice to see you!" Zack prompted, as Sephiroth let a piece of paper drop onto the table. It was then that Zack noticed something wasn't quite right.

"You alright Seph?" The Lieutenant queried, as Sephiroth raised slightly clouded eyes to meet his. Cloud and Zack exchanged a concerned look, as they waited for a response. His eyes moved from Zack's eyes to Cloud's and then returned to the Lieutenant's. He opened his mouth to say something, but seemingly thought better of it. He did nothing for a few moments before nodding once and then speaking again.

"Go and get ready, we're going to be late."

Cloud nodded and scurried off to his room, but Zack remained where he was. He crossed his arms and stared defiantly at the General.

"What the hell was all that about, huh?" The Lieutenant scowled, and Sephiroth shook his head slightly.

"I had a momentary lapse of concentration over something, but it can wait."

"What can wait?"

"It can wait," Sephiroth repeated, his expression returning to normal as he offered a small smirk, "Your pet looks well today..."

"He's _not_ my pet, but shit yes he does, eh?" Zack grinned, realising that the topic was something both concerning and not open for discussion presently with the General, no matter how hard he pushed. Zack shrugged then and gestured to the General that he was heading to get ready, before disappearing into his room and pulling on a pair of dress pants, his head buzzing with thoughts, and the mystery messenger of his dream's words.

_...Maybe Sephiroth really is destined to be a madman..._

Zack was never more determined about anything in his life than to change the outcome of that.

--

Zack's green eyed monster was getting harder to tame as they patiently waited for their table. Well, Cloud and Sephiroth were more than patiently waiting, whereas Zack was just about ready to reach out to the guy at the nearest table and gouge out his eyes. At first, Zack had suspected that a majority of the leering gazes in the room were directed at Sephiroth. When Cloud moved away from their group to throw out a piece of rubbish however, the eyes followed him as he went, and Zack had spent the last five minutes throwing burning gazes of 'stay the hell away' at anyone who so much glanced in their direction. The place was packed to the rafters, as was the norm, but as was per usual, once word got out that Sephiroth had arrived, people willingly gave up their tables in the chance at seeing him. Sephiroth nodded politely, just as such a thing happened, and the trio were taken to their table. A few of the looks Cloud was receiving were a little more than perverted, and yet the blonde seemed blissfully unaware, too much in awe of the elaborate restaurant to pay all that much attention to those around him. Zack wished he was able to do the same.

"Isn't it amazing?" Cloud grinned, turning a glittering gaze to Zack, who got caught glowering in a young woman's direction. Zack smiled sheepishly and posessively swung an arm around the blonde's shoulders.

"Ya, it's great here. Sephiroth really knows how to pick a place, and the Martell is Shinra's hotspot for the esteemed," Zack grinned, as Cloud eyed him off questioningly, although he did not push the Lieutenant away, even as the trio sat down. Sephiroth gave a questioning gaze to the Lieutenant however, and Zack reluctantly removed his arm.

"Congratulations Cloud, on both a good result, and having your first experience at the Martell," Sephiroth remarked, as Cloud grinned sheepishly.

"Thank you very much sir."

"You may call me Sephiroth when we are off work hours, Cloud. I assure that you will have the privilege of it when you make First Class regardless."

It was an off-handed comment, but both Zack and Cloud grinned in surprised awe. Zack playfully swatted at the blonde's arm.

"Hear that? He thinks you're first class material!" Zack teased, and he saw Sephiroth smirking from the corner of his eyes, before the waiter arrived. He asked if the table was ready to order, and Sephiroth nodded. Cloud ordered the rump steak, and Zack wasn't overly surprised to hear Sephiroth order the crayfish. The Lieutenant wondered if perhaps the home the General never knew was a seaside escape. Maybe even somewhere near a quiet watering hole somewhere in the mountains.

_...Come to think of it... He strikes me as someone a lot like Cloud..._

Both of them were reluctant in meeting new people, although Cloud was undoubtedly better at it. Both had the strange love of music, varying from classical to heavy metal, and were able to sufficiently drive Zack insane when they changed between CDs. As well as this, both seemed to be most content when outdoors, especially Sephiroth, who had a tendency to let himself go when they were out on mission in Kalm or Junon. Despite all this, the General remained a citizen of Midgar, and as much as Zack hated to say it, property of Shinra. He must have let his scowl show through at this, however, as he saw Cloud eyeing him off with a little concern.

"Zack? You ok to order?" The blonde asked, and Zack nodded, turning to smile at the waiter.

"Chicken. I don't care what it is, I just want chicken."

"May I suggest the garlic stuffed chicken with roast potatoes and vegetables, covered in a light red wine, sir?" The waiter asked, and Zack nodded, allowing himself a little more time to sink back into his thoughts as Sephiroth and Cloud engaged in small talk.

Seemingly, the cadet and the General got along rather well, even when Zack was not a contributor in their conversations. Cloud had just about come out of his shell around Sephiroth, and Zack couldn't help but feel an overwhelming relief at the idea. Zack chose then to watch the blonde as he spoke, his baby blues lighting up slightly with each amusing or exciting anecdote Sephiroth had to offer. It was apparent that Sephiroth too, was enjoying himself, in the way that his lips were curled upwards slightly, his fingers toying lightly with his empty wine glass that the waiter had just recently left. Cloud still offered a slight blush if Sephiroth focused his attention on him too long, and Zack felt both amusement and a pang of envy everytime it occurred. Sephiroth was a walking sex bomb, and even Zack had no problems in admitting that. It was the fact that maybe Cloud thought the same thing that drove him crazy.

"You gonna be drinking, Seph?" Zack asked, as the General turned his gaze to meet the Lieutenant's.

"Not today. If I am in fact called on mission, you know what alcohol may do..."

"What does it do?" Cloud asked, and Zack faltered slightly.

"Uh, well, you know that Sephiroth's human and alcohol tends to effect people's inhibitions?" Zack began, as Cloud nodded, "Well, that happens with Sephiroth too..."

"I kill things," Sephiroth interjected, continuing to idly toy with the glass even as Cloud's jaw dropped.

"Well, yeah. He gets a little caught up in what he's doing and has trouble distinguishing friend and foe," Zack said grimly, as Sephiroth smirked slightly.

"That only happened _once_," The General retorted, before turning to Cloud in explanation, "Work Christmas party."

"Well yeah, technically it wasn't your fault, because that Turk came running at you like a madman. Not to mention with a grenade in his hand," Zack shrugged slightly, "And even Tseng didn't hold you responsible."

"Tseng and I have mutual understandings," Sephiroth said lightly, "That if we accidentally kill one another's men, we better have a good explanation, or we offer one of our own to replace him. The only exceptions are Reno and yourself."

"Why Reno?" Cloud asked, and Sephiroth's lips curled slightly.

"I thought that would be obvious. Reno's very much so Tseng's... favourite..."

Cloud took a moment to register the suggestion, before blushing furiously.

"Oh! Well, um, I didn't know that Tseng..."

The blonde fumbled for words for a moment, before the waiter arrived with their food and offered a fitting distraction. Cloud pretty much dove into his meal, and Zack snorted in reply. Sephiroth smirked slightly and began to delicately pick at his own plate, cutting open his bread roll as a starter.

"So Cloud, _are_ you intending to make it all the way to First Class?" Sephiroth asked, as Cloud tried desperately to swallow his mouthful.

"Yessir."

"I think you're well on your way. You should be grateful that the Lieutenant is training you, above the others," Sephiroth remarked, and Cloud flitted a shy glance in Zack's direction.

"I'm more than grateful," Cloud grinned, "I feel really lucky, if anything."

"That's good..." Sephiroth said quietly, a small smile licking at his lips before he chewed on more crayfish. Zack reached out and ruffled Cloud's hair, even as the blonde shovelled down his own food, and the Lieutenant offered a teasing smile.

"Damn right you are!" Zack teased, and Cloud pointedly rolled his eyes in an attempt at cocealing embarrassment, before the situation was interrupted by a shrill tone.

"Here we go," Sephiroth sighed as he pulled out his cell, and flipped it open. He took a momentary pause to read the caller ID and nodded briefly.

"Tseng?" Zack mouthed, as the General nodded, answering the phone.

"Commander," Sephiroth paused then, obviously listening to the Turk on the other end of the phone line, "Of course. Fifteen minutes."

Sephiroth then hung up and stood, brushing some stray bread crumbs from his lap.

"That was quick," Zack remarked, "You on call?"  
"Apparently," Sephiroth replied dryly, before looking down at his barely touched meal and tossing sixty gil on the table.

"I said I'd pay!" Zack protested as the General stood.

"_I_ said I'd _eat_, although I did enjoy the bread," Sephiroth retorted, and Zack couldn't find anything to say, "I'll see you both tomorrow if things turn out well. Take care, and congratulations Cloud."

Cloud nodded his gratitude and gave a small wave, before the General paused and set his eyes on Zack for a few moments.

"I need to talk to you tomorrow. It's somewhat important..."

"Talk to me now then!" Zack grinned, but Sephiroth shook his head.

"Privately. Tomorrow, if you'd please. I understand you're otherwise distracted today," Sephiroth smirked slightly, before nodding and swiftly taking his leave before Zack could even reply.

_...And then there were two..._

Zack turned to face the smiling Cloud and shook his head.

"This won't do. I need to see you if I'm going to talk to you," He grinned, before picking up his plate and moving to sit where Sephiroth had been. Cloud smiled and prodded at his food idly, before cutting another piece and chewing it languidly.

"You didn't have to do all this," He gestured at the restaurant around them once he'd swallowed, "I can't help but feel I'm not worth the fuss."

"You're an idiot."

"Huh?"

"You're an idiot if you think that," Zack shrugged, "You're worth every gil, blondie."

Zack then grinned charmingly and mentally hi fived himself when the blonde blushed and shrugged in return.

_...This might be easier than I thought..._

The more Cloud responded to Zack's advances, the easier it became for the Lieutenant to breath, and that on its own was a sign of encouragement. Although an outgoing and overall affectionate person, the Lieutenant found uneasiness and timidness when it came to anything serious. Luckily for him, Cloud seemed to as well, so everything was falling nicely together. The two continued to eat their meals then, as Zack made the occassional sound of overwhelmed appreciation at his chicken.

"I could make love to this. I'd imagine that it'd be quite tender in both love and taste," The Lieutenant grinned, and Cloud very nearly spat out a mouthfull of potato in surprised laughter. Zack laughed a little too himself as the blonde blushed brightly and looked around the room as several people turned to see what had happened.

"Ah Gaia Zack, I really don't fit into places like this," Cloud groaned softly, making a point to keep his voice as low as possible.

"Why, because they like to stare a little?" Zack asked, "They've been eyeing you off since we got in here."

"Really?" Cloud asked in disbelief, as Zack grinned and leant forward on the table.

"I told you, you're gorgeous. Don't make me attack you in public or they'll _really_ be staring," The Lieutenant teased, and Cloud held back an amused grin as he returned to his food.

There was a comfortable silence for awhile, and the pair didn't seem all that fussed with it either as they continued to plough through their food. Zack managed to draw a few more laughs from Cloud by manouvering Sephiroth's barely touched crayfish into doing a version of the can can, followed by the time warp, before the waiter took the plate away with a small scowl of disapproval. This in turn made both men burst into a fit of giggles. Once they'd calmed down and neared the end of their meals, Cloud looked up and met Zack's gaze.

"Do you think Sephiroth's ok?" Cloud asked out of the blue, shovelling a few more mouthfuls of food into his mouth as he held Zack's gaze with concern. Zack felt his own brows furrow in confusion and mild annoyed envy, before he nodded slowly, toying with the chicken on his plate.

"Why does it matter?" Zack snapped slightly, before realising that he'd stunned the blonde momentarily with the sudden outburst.

"I mean, yeah, he just has phases where stuff happens and he gets a little down," Zack explained, "He's only human after all."

"Is it something to do with Hojo?" Cloud asked reluctantly, a light flash in his eyes, "Because I really am starting to hate that guy..."

"Why? Has he done something to you?" Zack rushed, and the blonde seemed a little taken aback.

"Well, no, but he just seems... off?" Cloud shrugged slightly, and Zack felt a slight weight ease off of his conscious. He hadn't managed to shake the dread off of his shoulder that someone he cared about was suffering because he'd changed the fate of Gaia or whatever that girl had said. Somehow, he thought it might be Cloud. Everything had been going too smoothly between the blonde and the Lieutenant, and he believed it was most likely the calm before the proverbial storm.

"Has anything been bothering _you_ Cloud?" Zack asked, as the blonde smiled and shook his head.

"I thought we were talking about Sephiroth?"

"He's ok. I wanna talk about you right now," Zack shrugged, "Anything been bothering you?"

"My mum?" Cloud laughed lightly, and Zack found himself joining in briefly. Cloud's mum was a treat, to say the least.

"How could your mum bother you?" Zack teased, "She's so caring when it comes to her iddy biddy baby Cloud!"

"Gah!" The blonde groaned, "That's exactly how!"

"Please, do telllll."

"When she's not throwing pet names at me, hassling me over my eating habits or bugging me to write, she's trying to set me up with some guy..." Cloud sighed, his cheeks tingeing slightly, and Zack made the realisation that maybe he wouldn't _have_ to confess to Cloud.

"It can't be that bad, I'm sure she's suggested some nice guys?" Zack teased, and Cloud's tinge darkened slightly.

"Yeah, she has."

"Any got you thinking lately?" Zack asked, and the blonde toyed with his vegetables.

"Yeah."

"You gotta give me the goss here, Cloudy!" Zack teased, "I'm sitting on the edge of my seat!"

"Well, she was suggesting I go for someone that _apparently_ she's found pictures of in the newspapers, and finds incredibly good looking, and I couldn't help but agree..."

Zack couldn't recall ever being in the newspapers. In fact, that description seemed to fit _Sephiroth_ pretty accurately.

"Oh, ok," Zack shrugged, "That's still a pretty vague statement though. I want details."

"Well," Cloud paused, "He's someone I've looked up to for a long time, but kind of on the sidelines, you know? I really only got to know him kind of recently. He used to make me really nervous..."

With this the blonde laughed a little and scratched the back of his head. He seemed awkward, and Zack wasn't overly sure he wanted to hear it anyway.

"It's alright blondie, you don't have to say anything," Zack smiled, "What do you say we head home?"

Cloud nodded slowly, letting out a long sigh and standing up as Zack did. The Lieutenant tried his best to maintain a happy persona as he paid the waiter the bill plus a hefty tip and lead Cloud outside, too emotionally scattered to glare at the people still offering appreciative glances in Cloud's direction. The blonde followed, seemingly still flushed, as they stepped into the frosty weather. They then found some childish amusement in pretending they were smoking, as their breath curled out in puffs of white, and Cloud managed to pull off an exceptionally good Shinra impersonation. Zack's smile became that of a genuine one then, as he realised that it was moments like these with Cloud that he liked the most. They were able to have light hearted fun, and they weren't a couple, so why did that have to change?

_...Because it kills you to think of him with anyone else, and you're so wrapped up in him that you can't let him go?_

Zack mentally swore at himself, adamantly telling negative Zack to shut the hell up for one night, and Cloud seemed to notice.

"What are you beating yourself up over?" Cloud asked, and Zack gave a look of surprise.

"How'd you know?"

"I'd like to think I know a fair bit about you by now, blacky," Cloud retorted teasingly, and Zack smiled half heartedly. Cloud then did something a little unexpected and flung his arm around Zack's shoulders.

"It's unsettling when you're this quiet," Cloud smiled teasingly, "Gaia, what Sephiroth wouldn't give to hear you ta-"

"Can we not talk about Sephiroth?" Zack interrupted, his voice coming out a _lot_ colder than he had ever intended. Cloud reeled slightly in surprise and watched Zack with growing confusion.

_...what the hell is wrong with me?_

"What's the problem?" Cloud asked, and Zack stopped walking.

"Nothing. Why do you think that?"

"Well, there's obviously _something_ wrong hey?"

"Nothing."

"Zack..."

"At the moment, Sephiroth."

"Sephiroth?" The blonde reeled slightly in surprise, "But.. Why?"

Zack realised that it didn't really matter what way he tried to get out of the situation he'd fallen into, he had still told himself that he would fess up everything tonight. As much as he tried to deny it, this little situation seemed to have been the best window of opportunity opened to him so far. So what if Cloud had a thing for Sephiroth? Maybe Zack would be able to sway him back to his side of the rink with a few little words of persuasion.

_...But what the hell am I meant to say?..._

The silence continued to stretch closer to becoming an uneasy one, and that was _not_ the way that Zack wanted things to progress.

_...So... What on _Gaia_ do I say?!_

"...Zack?" Cloud offered hesitantly, and the Lieutenant turned his eyes to meet Cloud's concerned ones. Even though Zack had just snapped at the blonde un-necessarily and had been toying with the blonde's responses for a majority of the night, Cloud still remained concerned and compassionate about everything the Lieutenant did. Zack ached a little inside as he realised more certainly than ever that he was in this way deeper than he'd ever managed to fall before, and felt a certain sense of fear with the reinforced fact that he had no idea what to do about it.

His eyes swept over Cloud's somewhat feminine features. Cloud's eyebrows furrowed slightly as his concern seemingly grew, and his blue pools of such emotive expression conveyed confusion. Zack then put all he had into his own gaze in the hope that maybe Cloud would be able to read Zack's as easily as the Lieutenant's could read his.

_... Wouldn't it just be easier if I could do it without all the words? Gaia, I've always hated this kind of thing..._

Cloud looked at him curiously, seemingly unaware of what the Lieutenant was doing.

"...Zack?"

"Just think, Cloud. _Think_..." Zack urged, and the blonde shrugged slightly, his face holding back a puzzled smile.

"Uh... Sephiroth, Sephiroth," Cloud 'hmm'ed for a few moments, tapping his lip slightly with his finger, his free arm crossed across his chest. Zack figured it was too much to ask for a hint of seriousness in the blonde's tone, or expression, or anything really, but he hoped it'd all fit in nicely if Cloud put some thought into it.

_...Come on kid, I've seen your marks... You're a bright spark..._

"Well, I can't see too much there for you to be angry with him about," Cloud said quietly, "He seems ok really. He's loyal, he's strong, he might be a little weird, but it's likeable... He's... nice on the eyes I suppose?"

Zack bit back on the envy threatening to choke him as Cloud smiled at the last part, but he was unable to hold back the mako burning to his eyes. Cloud saw this and looked momentarily alarmed.

"Are you alright Zack? The way you're acting I'd think you were worried I'm trying to take the General away from you... " the blonde frowned, and Zack shook his head.

"No, not _you_ taking _him_..." Zack said softly, his eyes still latched onto the blonde's.

The Lieutenant focused all of his intentions and pretty much all he had into holding the blonde's gaze, as Cloud gazed back intently. Zack could just about hear the gears grinding in the blonde's head.

_...Just about got it Cloudy, come on..._

As soon as the realisation began to flick across the blonde's face, Zack took a deep breath and leant in, catching Cloud's lips with his own and biting a little more than suggestively on the blonde's bottom lip. He then lifted his hands to hold the blonde's face in his palms in a mixture of fear that he would move, and a crumbling resistance of his need to touch Cloud's skin. There were a few stretched out moments where Zack's heart pounded in his chest, as Cloud stood rigid and unmoving.

_....Whoa fuck..._

All of his anxiety slipped away however, as he felt the tentative pressing back of Cloud's lips onto his own accompanied by a soft 'hmph' from the blonde. Zack couldn't help the immediate grin from swallowing his expression entirely, as soon as he realised that he was in fact kissing Cloud.

_...and Cloud is kissing back..._

Zack, although unwilling to break away, did so in favour of grinning widely as he met Cloud's eyes, the blonde's cheeks burning red as a slow smile crept along his lips and his gaze turned from Zack's.

"Cloud?"

"You know, you could have just told me that rather than make me look like an ass guessing..."

"Well..." Zack shrugged a little awkwardly, once again stuck in a situation he wasn't overly eager to be in, "Is... well, was that... ok?"

"I'm a little confused?" The blonde shrugged lightly, as Zack smirked, temporarily losing his mind. He then leant in and caught the blonde off guard with another series of light kisses, before Cloud eventually let out a snort of laughter.

"That's not what I meant," the blonde explained, pulling back from Zack's playful advances, "I just don't see how you were jealous of Sephiroth..."

"I thought you liked him."

Cloud laughed again, his confusion showing once more, as he shook his head.

"No, what gave you that idea?"

"The whole restaurant thing where you were saying that there are pictures of the guy you found attractive in newspapers, and that he used to make you nervous, and then-"

"I was talking about you."

Zack paused for a few moments, allowing himself the required time to let it all sink in, before Cloud scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"I can show you what I mean, I guess..." The blonde remarked, pulling out his wallet. He then dove into the back compartment and pulled out a newspaper clipping, handing it to the Lieutenant, his gaze turning away shyly once more. Zack let his eyes rake over the article, and smiled then, his eyes landing on the photograph. In line with the story of the buddy system Shinra was trialling, was a picture of Zack, his arm slung around Cloud's shoulders, the two apparently completely unaware of the photographer's presence. It was a colour picture, and Zack couldn't help but notice the brightness in Cloud's eyes, and the light pink tinge flitting over the SOLDIERs cheeks, as Zack laughed beside him.

"My mum sent it to me..." Cloud mumbled, his eyes averted, and his cheeks blazing, "And I kind of liked it..."

Zack had a little difficulty understanding why, until he detached himself from the situation and was aware that all things considered, it was quite a good picture of him. His raven locks were framing his face nicely, and his creamy skin was light enough to both contrast with his hair and highlight the depth of blue within his eyes. In Zack's own opinion, his teeth had always been _too _white, but here they seemed to be just... right...

"I suppose it's an ok photo?" Zack suggested and Cloud gaped in exasperation.

"Are you freaking kidding me?!" the blonde whined, "I go to _sleep _looking at this sometimes!"

Cloud then seemed to falter slightly, as his own words sunk in, before he turned and began walking away. Zack laughed teasingly, and trotted after the blonde.

"Awww, what's wrong?"

"I'm going before I make even more of an ass out of myself."

Zack laughed again, privately concerned that he was becoming delirious, before snatching at the blonde's hand. Cloud halted in a stunned disbelief, as Zack raised it to his mouth and gently pressed the blonde's palm against his lips, in what was an entirely spontaneous action. Coming back to his senses, Zack reached out to playfully brush a few stray hair from the blonde's captivated expression and grinned.

"I think I love you, Cloud..." the Lieutenant blurted, his own mouth as well as Cloud's dropping open once he had said it.

_...So much for coming back to the senses..._

It was quiet for some time, Zack scratching the back of his head in the awkward silence, his other hand still idly holding Cloud's, as the blonde seemingly tried and failed several times at speaking.

"Good," Cloud replied finally, "Because, you know, it'd really kind of suck if you didn't love me, and I, you know..."

The blonde trailed off in a series of unintelligible mumbles, and Zack grinned widely.

"No pressure to say it Blondie, knowing you might think it's good enough for me," The Lieutenant continued to beam, before slinging an arm around the blonde's shoulders and pulling him into a hug. It would have been just like it always had, if it weren't for Zack's lips pressing against the blonde spikes, his hands lightly encircling the blonde's waist as if he were porcelain. Cloud picked up on it immediately, and sighed.

"I'm not going to break, Zack," He teased, as Zack chose to bury his face in the blonde's locks.

"I don't carrrrrreeee!" The Lieutenant protested, before Cloud shuffled on his feet slightly.

"I... like this..." Cloud murmured, raising his head to meet Zack's gaze.

"Me too. I mean, I'm all for hugs and kisses, you know," Zack said, trying to will the goofy grin from his face so that Cloud would know he was serious, "I don't want to rush things though. I get too rowdy, you tell me, ok?"

"Yeah."

"I mean, it's a little hard to keep my hands off you, but I can saw them off if I have to."

Cloud rolled his eyes at this, unable to stop a small smile from showing through. Zack leant in again, watching with mild amusement as the blonde followed his every move with slightly astonished eyes, before he kissed the blonde openly, daring enough to slip his tongue slightly into Cloud's mouth. The blonde let out a muffled moan, and Zack had to reel his senses back in. If he didn't, he was likely to ravage the blonde then and there, and completely discredit all he'd just said. Instead, he smirked devilishly at Cloud as he pulled back.

"What?" Cloud asked suspiciously, struggling to appear calm before Zack. The Lieutenant continued to smirk teasingly as he unwound the blonde from his arms.

"Mmmm, minty..." Zack teased, before Cloud gave the Lieutenant a swift kick to the shins. Zack feined hurt from the attack, but inside he was all smiles.

_...Thank you Gaia..._

--

**A/N: ** I hate it. Too mushy. Bleh.

BUT OMFG, WHAT IS WITH THE INSANE LENGTH?!?

I promise to angst it up for us all next chapter though, hey?

-hides-


	8. Revelations

**Warnings: Go read the other ones, I hate typing these. **

_Conflictions- Chapter 8_

_Zack couldn't be happier with the new developments in his life, regarding a certain blonde bundle of love. Zack finds out two pieces of information from his closest friend. One is something that he had never expected. The second is something that he could never have prepared for. Just as one part of his life spikes in its enjoyment, another crashes into despair. _

--

Each morning, without fail, Zack's routine remained something that seemingly would never change. He woke up with a slight frown on his face, picked his discarded pillow off the floor and placed it back on his bed, before inevitably falling asleep for another ten minutes. After that, it was a blur of get up, get dressed, eat, get ready and leave, before going to face Sephiroth about his lateness. Today, from the word go, things were different. Zack woke up beaming, his mind not foggy with lack of sleep or lack of caring towards his work, his pillow placed firmly behind his head. He didn't fall asleep after the realisation hit him, and instead leant down slightly to nuzzle against the blonde hair just by his face. There was a light laugh at this action, followed by a murmured 'morning' from the barely conscious Cloud. Both Zack and Cloud had made their way back to their apartment the night before and despite Zack's hormone driven mind _begging_ him to pretty much devour the blonde as soon as they opened the door, the Lieutenant had not acted on his desires. Instead, they'd curled up on the sofa as they usually did and watched a movie, before Zack declared he was heading for bed. Much to Zack's surprised delight, Cloud had timidly asked if they could spend the night together. Zack had agreed over-eagerly to the request and had somehow managed to keep his hands above the blonde's beltline. Cloud was obviously a little shy in progression of their newly found relationship, and Zack was entirely ok with that, even if he was having difficulty holding onto his sanity sometimes.

_...Gaia... give me the strength to give him that time... for as long as he needs it..._

"Morning!" Zack grinned into the mass of hair before him, even as Cloud snuggled closer to the Lieutenant's bare chest.

"What's the time?" Cloud groaned a little, as Zack lifted his head enough to peer over at the alarm clock.

"Quarter past five..." Zack laughed lightly, as Cloud whined.

The Lieutenant could remember his days in second class, when they weren't expected to be at training until nine am.

_...Heck... even the average first doesn't have to be there till seven..._

Being Sephiroth's second in command however, required the Lieutenant to be at work by six, be it rain, hail, shine, or incredibly adorable blond in his arms.

"I hate you Sephiroth..." Zack murmured out loud, and Cloud snorted.

"You know... it's cruel to be awake before the sun..." the blonde muttered through a yawn. Zack couldn't help but agree, well aware that if he didn't _have_ to be awake right now, he probably would have still been nuzzled against Cloud's side. Unfortunately, Sephiroth had beaten his body clock into a certain pattern and it was hell on Earth even finding a sleep in on his holidays. Zack said nothing as he stifled a yawn of his own and reluctantly wriggled away from Cloud's embrace.

"Bleh..." Cloud murmured into his pillow, as Zack held back a smile.

"I have to go sometime."

"Yeah," the blonde frowned, lifting his head slightly from its linen embrace. He smiled shyly up at the Lieutenant, before hesitantly turning his gaze away.

"Thanks," Cloud said softly, "I slept really well..."

Zack grinned at the blonde's shyness, before launching himself back onto the bed and poking the blonde's ribs.

"What are you thanking me for?" the Lieutenant teased, as the blonde snorted and batted away the probing fingers.

"Zack!" Cloud whined, as he lay on his back, crushing the Lieutenant's hand underneath him. Zack stopped, the blonde smiling up sweetly at him, his chest exposed and his cheeks lightly flushed. His eyes were still a little heavy-lidded from having just woken up and his hair was even more tousled then ever. Zack couldn't help but let his eyes wander over the blonde, as Cloud wriggled slightly under the intense gaze.

"You look like you're going to eat me..." Cloud snorted shyly, and Zack put on his best evil smirk.

"All in good time," the Lieutenant leered, wiggling his eyebrows as the blonde let out a nervously embarrassed laugh.

"...Why, Zack?" Cloud asked cautiously, as Zack offered a puzzled expression.

"Why what?"

"Why me?" Cloud shrugged, "You're funny, you're smart, and you're really strong, friendly, really good looking..."

Cloud blushed slightly, before wriggling again, "Uh... I guess I was just wondering why you picked me out of a major smorgasbord?"

Zack was taken aback by the question and could do little more than shake his head. It was Cloud's turn to offer the puzzled gaze and Zack let out a small sigh.

"Here I was thinking I was the idiot," Zack remarked teasingly, "When it's obviously _you_ if you can't see that there is _nothing_ that those other guys have over you. Can you not see what you've got Blondie?"

Cloud frowned slightly, seemingly in thought, before slowly shaking his head. Zack hated it. He hated the uncertainty flitting along those blue eyes as Cloud worried his lower lip slightly. Zack, far too tempted by the gesture, leant down and gently met Cloud's lips with his own. Cloud let out a soft 'hmph' of pleased surprise, as Zack ran a hand through the blonde locks. The Lieutenant slowly worked his mouth against the blonde's, before Cloud allowed his mouth to open in favour of deepening the experience, and drove Zack mad with the slow and sensual motions of his tongue. Zack let out a strangled groan as he pulled away, well aware that there was not enough time for even this moment.

"God Cloud, Sephiroth will kill me if you keep that up," Zack whined, rolling himself off the bed as Cloud let out a breathless laugh.

"I'm sorry," The blonde murmured as Zack righted himself from the floor, "Will you get into much trouble if you stay longer?"

Cloud worried his lip again, obvious concern showing through, and despite all the innocence that Cloud so effortlessly exhumed, Zack found his arousal building with thoughts he couldn't control. He mentally slapped himself and begged Gaia to please, _please_ just give him a break.

"You have _no_ idea how much trouble," Zack murmured, dragging himself to his morning shower and deciding to neglect the hot water.

--

"Lieutenant?"

"Yes sir?"

"Sephiroth called me earlier this morning to say that he had some business to deal with, and that you weren't expected in the office until twelve, unless he calls you at an earlier time."

"Grargh! Could he not have told me that earlier?!" Zack whined down the phone, as Tseng seemingly held back on a small laugh of amusement.

"It was ideal for _me_ to call at this time, Lieutenant..." Tseng paused, seemingly hesitant, "Would you be willing to do me a favour at all?"

"Uh... I guess?"

"There's a highly important package reaching the city limits this morning. I need a little muscle to help my men get it back here safely. Would you be overly against the idea?"

"Uh, I guess not..." Zack shrugged as he placed his mug under the coffee machine and rapped on the side of it encouraging some sort of activity, "When?"

"At about eight, if possible."

"Okies. You need me to stop by your office or anything?"

"If you could swing by in about twenty minutes, it would be appreciated."

"Alright..." Zack let out a soft sigh, as the coffee machine seemingly malfunctioned again, "Do you happen to have a coffee machine by any chance?"

"Only for Wutaian coffee," Tseng said lightly, as Zack's mind raced to all of his other experiences with the rich blend.

"I'll be there in five minutes."

Tseng laughed softly, before hanging up the phone.

--

Tseng watched Zack with amusement glittering through his eyes, as the Lieutenant flitted about his office. Zack grinned sheepishly when he realised he was being watched, and sat before the Commander with a mug full of strong coffee.

"Is that really a wise idea?" Tseng asked, nodding towards the first class' mug.

"Eh?"

"Coffee… You're bouncing off the walls already…" Tseng smirked, as Zack shrugged, passing the mug from one hand to the other, and back again several times.

"I'm pretty buzzed is all. So, what about this little errand you've got me running?" Zack asked, before the door burst open somewhat abruptly.

"Absolute bull_shit_!" A familiar looking redhead exclaimed, making his way into the room with his partner hot on his tail, "I can not _believe_ you expect us to go out of our way to do this shit, and on top of it, assign us some stuck up arrogant know it all who is undoubtedly going to have more brawn than brains!"

The Turk then stormed across the room to Tseng's coffee machine, oblivious to Zack's presence, as his partner took a chair by the Lieutenant and nodded politely.

"Are you alright Reno?" Tseng asked, clearly restraining a smirk as the redhead stuck his own mug under the filter.

"You're kidding me right, yo?" Reno asked, letting out a snort of amusement, "Are you blind or something? I'm _pissed_, yo. Not only do you think we're paperboys, but you actually think we need _help_ being paperboys."

At this the redhead snapped around to face the Commander, and his eyes flicked to Zack's, whatever words were on his mouth stopping abruptly.

"SOLDIER boy…" Reno said simply, as Zack nodded.

"Red."

"…You're the stuck-up priss they're sending with us then?"

"Guilty."

"Eh," The redhead shrugged, turning back to his coffee, "Better than a kick in the face."

Rude, as Zack remembered his name to be, let out an odd noise sounding suspiciously close to a laugh, as Tseng offered Zack a wry smile.

"Excuse our Comrade, Lieutenant, he's not a morning person…" Tseng offered, before Reno let out a disgruntled snort.

"I'm just not so fond of getting up in the morning to come see _your_ sorry ass."

"As you can tell, he talks a lot of shit, Lieutenant," Tseng said in all seriousness, "He looks forward to my lectures on uniform and my assignments that get him as far away from myself as possible."

Zack watched closely, and only briefly caught the exchanged look of heated desire between the Commander and his Turk, before it faded just as abruptly.

…_Well what do you know? Sephiroth actually knows his stuff…_

"So, what's going down today?" Reno shrugged, leaning against the Commander's coffee counter and throwing a scrutinizing gaze in Zack's direction.

"We have a package coming from Junon. The president has expressed his desires to make absolute certain that the package arrives from the city limits to this building without so much as a hiccup," Tseng explained, "And I'm expecting you three to do that for me."

"Can't he have it mail ordered direct to the building itself?" Rude asked, as Zack nodded.

"You'd figure it would be easier to have it done that way, right?"

"When the president makes such requests, in my experience, it has come to mean that whatever package he has requested is one of a high security level and should it fall into the wrong hands it may be of a grave concern for the company," Tseng said somewhat darkly, as Reno let out a snort.

"What are you thinking here Reno?" Tseng asked, as the redhead smirked lazily.

"I think this little trip just got a shitload more interesting, yo."

"Well," Tseng said with a slight air of mystique, "From what I know, expect the unexpected."

--

Zack had spent the last hour or so throwing curious gazes in Reno's direction. He could vaguely remember the Turk back when Zack himself was a cadet, but his most vivid recollection of the Turk was when he'd first come across them on duty and the redhead had seemed more than a little friendly towards Cloud. The redhead himself was handsome, Zack wouldn't deny that. His skin was slightly pale and flawless; something akin to porcelain. His hair was a bright and vivid contrast to his misty and alluring pools of cyan green eyes, and naturally, being a Turk had left him with a slim and toned physique. Zack had always figured Tseng to have very exclusive and fine tastes in everything from brandy to clothes. It seemed it extended to his preference of lovers as well.

"You right there, slick?" Reno mused, his eyes not moving from the road ahead, as Zack grinned sheepishly.

"I'm fine."

"Getting a good stare in?" Reno smirked, his eyes flicking briefly to meet the Lieutenant's. Zack snorted, blushing with embarrassment.

…_Eh, you've already been caught, may as well explain yourself…_

"Was just kind of appreciating Tseng's tastes, you know," Zack shrugged as casually as he could muster, "Getting an idea of what it is he sees in you."

Reno quirked an eyebrow at this and turned in his seat to face the Lieutenant.

"Is it flamingly obvious?" he asked curiously, a hint of mischief flicking through his eyes, "What and _who_ I'm doing, yo?"

"Uh, no, not really…" Zack shrugged honestly, feeling a little uncomfortable under such an intense gaze, "I was just kinda looking for things after Sephiroth said th-"

"All those SOLDIER boys seem to think you and the General have some stuff going on," Reno interjected with a smirk, turning back to gaze out the window, "I guess it takes a Turk to see you and that Strife kid have got something above and beyond friendship, mentorship, whatever…"

Zack gaped slightly, as Reno gave a smug sidelong glance.

"First time I saw you in sector six I could see it, yo," He shrugged, reclining in his chair, "You too, huh Rude?"

The bald-headed Turk offered a simple "mhmm", his eyes never leaving the road, his hands never leaving the wheel.

"See, you could see that the little blonde bundle of love's eyes weren't leaving you for longer than necessary. He needed you there for the reassurance, for the guidance, totally dependant," Reno explained, "Then I figured 'Hey, maybe old SOLDIER first class might have it back'. So, I offer up a little flirtatious fun and you're biting back the green eyed monster with as much force as you could muster."

"Entertaining stuff…" Rude added quietly, a small smile licking at his lips.

"Mhmm," Reno smirked, "Sweetest thing was that it all went over both yours and Blondie's head entirely."

…_I hate Turks…_

They'd been driving through the city streets for about an hour before Rude ground the vehicle to a stop. Zack sat up straighter in his seat and peered out the front window to see an elderly woman standing a few metres before the truck, smiling softly at the truck's occupants.

"…Old people…" Reno said with a sigh, before kicking open his door and swinging his legs out the side of the truck, hitting the ground with a soft thump as Rude did the same. Zack clambered out, hot in pursuit, before closing the door behind him.

"Yo," Reno said a little louder than usual, "No offence gram, but you're kinda in the middle of the road. Not good for your health."

The old woman continued smiling softly, here eyes crinkling as she did so. Reno and Rude exchanged a look, but before Reno could say anything further, Zack stepped over to the woman.

…_Turks, no idea on how to be normal…_

"Hello ma'am," Zack nodded, smiling charmingly, "Are you alright?"

"Zack..." The woman smiled, "I knew they'd send you. I'm alright."

This time, Reno gave Zack an odd look, before the Lieutenant shrugged slightly. The old woman reached into her shawl and pulled out a package about the size of a shoe box, and handed it to Zack, directly past Reno's outstretched hands. Rude made a slight snorting noise as Reno almost immediately choked back on a statement, Zack shooting him a warning glare.

"…God damn kook…" Zack could have sworn the redhead mumbled under his breath, "Old people, Gaia…"

The old woman patted Zack's hand and smiled further, seemingly oblivious to the disgruntled redhead.

"You're just what I'd imagined," She murmured, before tears began to slide down her cheeks, small sobs shuddering through her as they did so. All three Shinra employees seized up slightly, entirely uncertain of the protocol for such a situation. For Reno and Rude, it seemed to be 'Get back into the truck as quickly as possible'. For Zack, he placed a firm but reassuring hand on the woman's shoulder and offered a soft and compassionate tone.

"Are you alright?" He asked, and she smiled, wiping furiously at her tears.

"Yes, yes!" She laughed slightly, "Oh Gaia, excuse me Mister Fair, an old woman can be so emotional at times."

Zack smiled at the woman, finding a sense of familiarity with her. It clicked almost immediately. She was very much like Grammy.

"You wouldn't happen to be from Wutai would you?" Zack asked, and she nodded.

"Yes, you are very bright. She and I are alike, are we not?" She smiled knowingly, and Zack grinned.

"Pass on a hello, hey?"

"Perhaps you should yourself," She smiled softly, a slight frown hidden beneath it, "I presume your General will have questions."

Zack was starting to think that maybe Reno was right. It seemed that all of the elderly people in his life of late had been entirely, if not slightly, crazy.

"I don't understand," Zack frowned slightly, "You people are always using your riddles."

The old woman before him laughed slightly, her eyes still lightly lined with tears. Once she'd settled enough to offer another small smile, she took Zack's hand in her own.

"Let me tell you one thing, Mister Fair," She said softly, "It doesn't matter how much we think we know, in the end we know little and we never know enough. The planet builds walls, breaks walls, to protect it, to protect its people. A little understanding can be dangerous. Now off you go, best you deliver your package."

"…What is it?" Zack asked, a mischievous grin on his face, and the old woman laughed again.

"Ah, so child-like. As I said Mister Fair, a little understanding can be dangerous," She said, "Some things are better left unknown."

With that she patted Zack's shoulder and turned to leave. As she left, she didn't turn around as she gave her parting words.

"Talk to Sephiroth. Gaia knows, he needs you…"

--

Zack spent the next four hours waiting patiently for word from the general. Sephiroth had yet to touch base with his secretary or even Tseng. The package they had delivered back to the Shinra building had gotten there without a hitch. Despite all this, Zack still felt an eerie sense of unease ever since his run in with the strange old woman.

"You're a brave man," Reno had said, as he lounged casually on one of the nearby lounge couches, "I freak the fuck out when females start crying for no apparent reason, yo. You were stepping into dangerous territory there."

Zack had laughed and agreed, before the usual discussion of odd female behaviors had ensued amongst the men, and Zack had a little time to zone in on his own thoughts.

…_She hadn't started crying for no reason though… What did she say? 'You're just what I'd imagined'? I don't even know what that's meant to mean…_

Zack felt a little swell of happiness at the thought that maybe Grammy spoke about him to the other elders in Cosmo Canyon. He smiled a little, and was aware of Reno throwing him a sidelong glance of curiosity, before the door opened somewhat abruptly and a visibly concerned Tseng stood in the doorway.

Reno stood automatically, apparently unsettled by his lover's composure or lack thereof. Tseng's eyes met Zack's however and he nodded slightly.

"Lieutenant, I'd like you to come with me please…" the Commander urged, and Zack headed automatically for the door, Reno following soon after.

"No Reno, just Zack," the Commander said firmly.

As the redhead opened his mouth to argue, Tseng's gaze hardened, and Reno obediently sat down. Zack was feeling more than a little unsettled with the Commander's odd behaviour, yet Tseng remained silent until they were several halls away from the shared Turk/SOLDIER lounge.

"I apologise, Lieutenant, I am aware that my mannerisms are making you uncomfortable," Tseng said softly, "But I am somewhat concerned."

"Concerned over what?"

"Sephiroth. His behaviour is unsettling to say the absolute least," Tseng lowered his voice even further, "And I believe it may be regarding you, Zack."

"Me?" Zack frowned, "What makes you think I've done anything to add to it?"

"We've been trying to get him to discuss the issues he is having, yet all he says is 'I refuse to speak to any of you until I have spoken to Zack'," Tseng explained, his brows furrowing, "He disappeared earlier today, yet no one seems to be aware of where he went or why. Now, he's being childish and irrational and blowing the place apart."

Zack frowned, lost in his own thoughts, as the repeated warming from Gaia's Keeper echoed through his mind. Sephiroth had always been destined to be a madman; even the planet herself had shown that. Had Zack been too late? Had Sephiroth already snapped at a time when Zack hadn't seen it coming? He had little time to think, as Tseng stopped abruptly beside several figures that were looking anxiously at a closed door.

"Is there anyone in there with him?" Tseng asked, as a young blonde girl shook her head, her teeth worrying her bottom lip.

"He locked himself in there sir. We tried to get in, but he's used the high security keycard system to lock anyone out," the young girl explained, as Tseng pulled out his clearance card and swiped it through the door. It clicked open with an automated hiss, and Zack frowned.

"What's in there?" he murmured, and Tseng flicked his eyes to a plaque above the door.

…_Administrative Records..._

"Sephiroth, I've brought Zack," Tseng said firmly, as he opened the door. The crowd of observers outside the door were then met with a stern glare from the Turk Commander, as they tried to follow him in.

"_Out_.._._" Tseng said lowly, and they did just that, closing the door behind them. Zack and Tseng then found themselves in complete darkness. Tseng flicked the light switch, and settled eyes on the General who was perched in the corner of the records library, his eyes glowing fiercely as they rose from a book he was seemingly absorbed in. The mako shine dulled significantly upon settling on Zack, and Zack offered a small smile.

"Hey Seph, I hear you're giving some people the shits," Zack teased, and the General offered a small smirk.

"Tseng, please excuse yourself. I need to discuss matters with Zack alone," Sephiroth said distantly.

"But General, I-"

"Leave…" Sephiroth warned, eyes burning slightly brighter.

Tseng offered a small nod, before turning to head for the door.

"Good luck…" He murmured to Zack on his way past, and he gently pat the Lieutenant on the shoulder and offered a small smile.

Once Tseng had left, Sephiroth gestured for Zack to sit at the desk beside him. The General had seemingly lost a majority of his previous anger, so Zack decided to press a little as he took his seat.

"What's wrong Seph? You've got a little pack of groupies out there that have their feathers all ruffled, and from the way that Tseng made it sound, you'd lost the plot…" Zack trailed off, as Sephiroth's smirk widened.

"They do not understand the concept of privacy. The most amount of concern I believe I roused was when I did that…" Sephiroth scoffed, gesturing at the wall behind Zack. The Lieutenant then became aware of a large, still smoldering, scorch mark on the wall and snorted as he turned back to the seemingly amused General.

"So you weren't a sociopath, just a drama queen?" Zack teased, and at this, Sephiroth's eyes softened further, and Zack saw something he never expected to see: sadness. He'd only ever seen it before in Sephiroth's eyes when he'd lost Angeal and Genesis.

"Hey…" Zack urged, as Sephiroth held his gaze, "What's wrong?"

The General let out a soft sigh then, as he shook his head, raising his hand to meet it.

"When Genesis and… and Angeal were gone… you became all I had left that I could refer to as a… friend…" Sephiroth began awkwardly, his brows furrowed, as his gaze shifted from Zack's to the book before him.

"I thought you hated me at first," Zack smiled, "But you were still looking after me. Now look at us, huh? Two first class SOLDIERs running the God damn Shinra army… Yeah, we're friends alright."

Sephiroth smiled sadly at this, and shook his head.

"I never hated you. I simply disliked what you reminded me of… But that changed," Sephiroth remarked dismissively, "As a friend, I found I could confide in you to an extent, as I thought you could with me…"

"Huh?" Zack frowned dumbly, "What do you mean you thought I could? I can, right? I've told you heaps of stuff before. Heck, I told you about Cloud before I told Cloud about Cloud, you know?"

"Then _why_ didn't you tell me about this?" Sephiroth frowned deeply, handing Zack a piece of paper.

"My tea recipe?" Zack frowned in confusion, "You took this off my table?"

Sephiroth nodded.

"So it's yours then?" Sephiroth asked, and it was Zack's turn to offer a small nod.

"Certainly not Cloud's…" Zack replied, still confused, "You wanted to know my tea recipe? That's what this is all about?"

Sephiroth let out a small laugh, bitterness biting through it, as if he were using his feline teeth themselves to chew it out.

"I had some suspicions and I asked around. Today, I had them confirmed," Sephiroth said with a quirk of his thin brow, "If you had have told me about your condition, then perhaps we could have worked on it earlier. Gaia Zack, I feel as if you've betrayed me in a way I'm yet to understand fully… _That _is what this is all about."

"My… condition?" Zack shook his head, as Sephiroth threw another document onto the table.

"Blood poisoning. A method seemingly used by the planet to ensure that her intentions of death are carried out regardless of medical interference. I was never able to see the pain you've been enduring because you've been numbing it with this," The General tossed his head in the direction of the tea recipe; "You sincerely believed I would not find out?"

Zack's blood drained from his face, his stomach tightening as he tried to allow the message to sink in.

"People drink this… when they're dying?"

"It's effective for the five months prior to death," Sephiroth remarked, his body stiffening momentarily before his features changed dramatically from anger and hurt to concern.

"Zackary?"

Zack barely registered his name, as he stared with vacant eyes at the document before him.

'_Cosmonian Tea is exclusively brewed for those suffering from Planetaris Intoxicatus, of which there is no developed cure at this time. ShinRa Inc. holds no responsibility, nor liability, should any member of SOLDIER become subject to the condition, yet will provide free supplies of Cosmonian Tea to ease the suffering that the condition undeniably causes. Medical Research Development of ShinRa continues to employ the globe's leading health and fitness medical practitioners and researchers to investigate this condition. Cosmonian Tea is not recommended for anyone who is not under the influence of this condition's hold, and is not in any way suggested as a cure for the condition, merely a sedative to numb the cells producing the pain caused by the condition.'_

Zack's fingers shook slightly, as his eyes met Sephiroth's growingly concerned gaze.

"And after the five months… and the Tea doesn't have an effect?" the Lieutenant choked.

"The individual is returned to Gaia…" Sephiroth said quietly, "Zackary, it was not you consuming the beverage was it?"

Zack shook his head just barely, and managed to keep his eyes open long enough to see first a flood of relief in the General's eyes, before a well of concern.

"Zack? Lieutenant!"

But it was too late.

--

Zack had begged that his passing out was the pull of Gaia's will, and that Grammy would appear, her hands encasing his as she laughed off the planet's impatience and commented on how well he looked. He pleaded with the planet to give him the answers to his question that he already knew the truth behind. He could feel it sitting idly in his stomach in a restless sleep, where he barely lay conscious, yet remained too weary to awaken. Grammy was gone.

Zack's eyes snapped open when it hit him, and found Cloud on his bed beside him, large blue eyes latched onto his in apparent fear.

"She's dead Cloud, she's gone…" Zack spluttered, before the blonde pulled the shuddering Lieutenant closer to him and allowed his senior to reluctantly shed those much needed tears. Zack knew that Cloud had no idea who 'she' was, or what the significance of her passing had been to Zack himself, but the Lieutenant took small comfort in the slightly trembling arms holding him tightly, as the blonde sniffled and swiped at his own tears. They lay like that for what seemed like hours, until Zack's eyes closed once more, and he drifted away again.

_Zack's head spun, and he knew then, as his eyes opened to darkness, that Gaia had pulled him to her once more. He stood abruptly, not waiting for any voices, not waiting for any false reassurances._

"_I _hate_ you!" He spat, kicking the blackness below him, before he felt a familiar touch on his shoulder. He spun around, and as expected, found he could see nothing. _

"_It was her time to go, Zack," The un-named stranger from the last encounter said softly, "Everyone has a time to leave." _

"_It was NOT_ _her time to go!" Zack hissed, moving away from the ghostly touch, "The planet __**stole **__her."_

"_How could the planet possibly steal something that was already hers?" _

"_Well tell me the justice in Blood Poisoning! Everyone else gets the right to medical treatment, but Gaia gives her the only damn thing there's no fucking treatment for!" Zack hissed, flinging himself back to sit on the ground in a tantrum. He didn't care. To him, it was justified. He heard the stranger sigh softly and felt her beside him._

"_Gaia thought you might not be very accep-"_

"_I don't really give a shit what the planet thinks," Zack snapped, and there was an extended silence, before he felt fingers clasp around his own and pull him to his feet. _

_Despite all of Zack's anger, this stranger had an effect over him. She was so docile, so gentle…_

"_Who __**are**__ you?" He asked, but she merely offered a small laugh._

"_Follow me. I want to show you something."_

_Zack was lead through the darkness that gradually dispersed, leaving a small forest in its wake. In a small clearing was a lake, a deep blue in colour, yet swirling with a life of its own. _

"_Where are we?" Zack asked._

"_The Ancient City, the name means nothing to you, but the ambience should," she said softly, "Just stand still for a moment…"_

_Zack did as she asked, letting his lungs breath in the cool air. It was almost stagnant, like there was life in the air itself; that there were people here, emotions, thoughts, sounds. It was calm, quiet, but at the same time held an air of energy and of life. Then he felt his head spin slightly, as he caught vague glimpses of memories he once held dearly but had pushed away. His first puppy when he was seven, Scruffy, a Labrador. He'd begged his parents for a dog and he'd finally gotten one, only to have it taken from him because there was simply not enough room after all. He remembered learning to ride a bike, the wheels spinning faster and faster along the forest paths near Gongaga, before he came off in a heap. He'd washed his cuts and grazes in the nearby waterfall, and his next door neighbour Melanie had offered a shy smile and some band-aids. She'd been Zack's first friend. Then, training with Angeal, as his mentor gave a condescending smile and shook his head as Zack resorted to tackling the First class and failed miserably, landing instead on a heap on the floor. Angeal had picked him up, dusted him off, and handed over his sword with a pat on Zack's shoulder. Then, there was Cloud. The first time he'd seen Cloud. When Cloud had come up to him and asked ever so casually if he were going to have a mentor. Cloud lying underneath him after a tickle fight, his cheeks flushed, his eyelids drooped slightly, his breath coming out in shirt little puffs. _

"_Everything you're seeing…" The stranger interrupted Zack's musings, "Is your soul."_

"_My soul?"_

"_You can probably feel them here. In the air. What you're seeing is what they're feeling. They're the souls of those who have passed on, and they're connecting with your own. In turn, your soul is connecting with you," She explained, as Zack placed a tentative hand on his own chest, "It's a strange feeling isn't it?" _

_Zack nodded, as he felt his hand being held again, and he was steered to the water's edge. _

"_Now here, the water…" She explained, "The water holds a lot more secrets than it is even willing to tell me. But it always reveals what you need it to."_

_Zack looked into it, and saw nothing but his own reflection. He raised an eyebrow and there was a soft laugh beside him. _

"_Be patient," she chided._

_He waited, and it slowly began to spin and move, much like the 'television screen' he and Grammy used to watch._

_Then, there it was. Fire, flames licking at structures as townspeople struggled to fight the blaze, and the hurried scattering of people who had no idea of where they were to go. It didn't last how long forever. A reactor, Sephiroth standing before it, his arms outstretched, his eyes glowing with something beyond mako, as he turned to speak, his words having no sound through the lake's water. It changed several more times. A giant ball of rock and flame, sitting ominously in the Midgar skies. Cloud, not much older, but his eyes spoke of experience well beyond his age. A party with Cloud, a battle with Sephiroth, the planet's rebellion. Peace. Then again, Sephiroth, the world turning dark once more, constant threat, Cloud's eternal unhappiness and a story that would never be a memory for any involved. Zack turned away, his chest constricting with the untold understanding that what he'd seen was something no man should ever have to bear witness to. He could see the undoing of the planet and by the hands of his best friend no less. He sat once more, his legs finding difficulty in drawing strength to them._

"_What is this?" Zack said quietly, as the hand returned to his shoulder. _

"_Equal exchange, Zack," she said softly, "For every good to occur, something must break, bend, hurt… in order to balance out the Planet's will."_

"_Is that what's going to happen?" Zack asked, turning cautiously back to the water._

"_No."_

_The Lieutenant turned around fully, letting his legs hand over the edge of the lake's crater. His feet brushed along the water, sending ripples through the image of Cloud that had appeared, pain in his eyes. _

"_What is it?"_

"_It's what might have been, should your Grammy have been kept on this Earth."_

"_But what good comes from this?" Zack urged, and she laughed softly. _

"_You live. He lives. I live. There's so much life. Perhaps even you are not aware of how dearly the planet loved your Grammy, or how much she gave to this planet that we ourselves take so much from, but she was an amazing sacrifice Zackary, and she knew," her tone softened, "She knew what her death would do for you." _

_Zack continued to sit by the water's edge, his chest numb, his eyes stinging with tears that refused to fall, clinging to the idea that somehow, everything from the moment he'd kissed Cloud had been a delusional dream. _

"_Pain is natural, and as you may not realise, there are others feeling it beyond you," the stranger cooed softly to Zack, "There are people in sector five, who can help. There's an old Cosmonian woman there. You've met her once before I believe. She is another of Gaia's Keepers. Perhaps you could use each other's company."_

_Zack simply nodded as he stood, a familiar tugging sensation clinging to his stomach as he did so. Her hand rest on his shoulder once again, and he felt a pair of lips press gently against his temple. Her voice was then right beside his ear as she spoke._

"_Take Cloud with you. He's got more strength in him than either of you will ever know. Borrow some of it." _

…Cloud…

_Zack's thoughts strayed to the blonde and the image of the future that he'd seen. Cloud's smiles had become a rarity, his happiness was a fading light, and the beautiful soul that Zack had come to thirst for had been crushed into that of an angsty warrior. Whilst his heart still ached for Grammy, he realised then that a world without that sacrifice would not be one that he could deal with, let alone watch over. _

--

Zack's eyes opened to a mass of blonde hair, as Cloud nuzzled against him in his sleep. The second class was frowning, as if restless, as his hands rhythmically clenched and eased against Zack's sweat shirt. Zack watched him, time slipping by him until the first rays of Midgar's light began to creep through the curtains. Zack moved for the first time since he'd woken, and the blonde immediately responded, sitting up and groggily opening his eyes.

"…Zack?" the blonde murmured sleepily, before forcing himself into alertness. Zack offered a small smile, as Cloud stretched and peered blearily at the Lieutenant.

"Morning."

"How'd you sleep?" Cloud asked cautiously, before Zack held out his arms and the blonde obediently slid into them. The Lieutenant rested his chin on the blonde's hair, as Cloud clutched again at his sweater.

"We were worried…" Cloud murmured, "We… what happened Zack?"

"I've lost someone very dear to me," Zack replied simply, as Cloud clung a little tighter.

They were silent for a long time, before Zack reluctantly swung his legs off the side of the bed and stood, stretching and feeling his muscles ripple into action.

"Where are you going?" Cloud asked, seemingly concerned. Zack offered a somber smile, his eyes lingering on the blonde's and filling with relief at the life he found there.

"Out."

"Out for what?"

"Answers…"

Zack let out a soft sigh as Cloud then clambered off of the bed and pulled on his boots.

"Cloud, you don't have to-"

"Shut up, I'm coming," The blonde nodded stubbornly, as Zack resigned at any further argument and headed for the door.

"_Take Cloud with you. He's got more strength in him than either of you will ever know. Borrow some of it."_

Still in a daze, Zack paused at the doorway and watched Cloud struggle with his shoes, the blonde sticking out his tongue in concentration as he hopped along on one foot. He fell back on the bed and finally managed to pull on the offending article of clothing. Zack's eyes trailed over the blonde's frame; thin, lean, and a little gangly. His skin was pale and still soft, his hands still delicate and growing accustomed to battle. His eyes showed a sense of surety in what was right, and what was wrong, and held little beyond compassion and understanding, and a simple love of everything around him.

Zack's chest felt a little constricted as he bit back on the images in his mind of a heavily toned Cloud, eyes distant and hard, calloused battle-worn skin… and a bitterness and untrusting nature that he concealed behind a veil of undeniable bravado.

"Zack?" Cloud asked, his eyes catching the Lieutenant's. Zack forced a smile and shook his head slightly. What Cloud needed was hope and reassurance.

"I zoned out on you again cute stuff. You know I can't stop staring sometimes," Zack winked, as the blonde blushed and offered a shy smile before rolling his eyes.

…_Stay smiling for me Cloud…_

"Where we going?" Cloud asked, as Zack locked the door after the blonde emerged.

"Sector five."

"Okay."

There was no further question from the blonde and Zack realised that there probably wouldn't be. Cloud trusted him with his life, he knew that now.

…_Why did it take __**this **__to notice..._

Zack stopped walking and Cloud walked into the back of him, letting out a small hmph of surprise. Zack turned, taking the blonde's shoulders and leaning in to chastely kiss the blonde on the lips. Cloud's immediate response was a blush, before he frowned, taking Zack's wrist in his hands.

"Are you really ok?" Cloud asked, and Zack grinned.

"I'm awesome!" the Lieutenant laughed, continuing down the hall, and even though both of them knew that statement was far from truth, they were content with pretending for now that they didn't know otherwise.

--

**A/N**: More 'relationship development' next chapter. Sorry.


	9. Meetings

I hope you all enjoyed your Christmas break, and that you subsequently enjoy this chapter. It's been a long time coming, I know, and I'm sorry. With the completion of Training, I hope you guys can forgive me ^^; Love you all xoxo

**Warnings: See previous chapters.**

**Oh, and a touch of smut. No really, just a touch. It's tiny. Lol.**

_Rendezvous- Chapter Nine_

_Zack reluctantly takes Cloud with him to sector five in search of Gaia's Keepers. Zack searches for answers from the planet and Cloud searches for answers from Zack. Both of them don't quite find what they were expecting, but find comfort in the other regardless. _

--

The darkness crept through the entire sector, even as the sun shone above the plate's confines. Zack could relate, a soft smile playing along his lips, even as his insides wept with a darkness that he was having difficulty in controlling. The air was cold, as he walked along the streets of sector five, poverty lining each one, just as the citizens did. Beggars were on every corner, exchanging smiles for food, for money, for hope. Cloud was beside him, the blonde's eyes wide as he looked around, fishing into his pockets for loose change and buying bread sticks for the scraggy kids with barely enough energy to play amongst themselves. Zack's smile was growing, watching his little blonde saint working miracles in the slums, even on the salary of a SOLDIER trainee.

"Cloud?"

"Yeah?"

"You really don't have to do that, you know," Zack said softly, as the blonde shook his head.

"I know that some of the older ones got themselves into poverty and what not…" the blonde paused, "But it's a whole different story with kids…"

Zack nodded, slinging an arm around the blonde's shoulders and pulling him in for a hug. Cloud's cheeks flared, but he nuzzled into the Lieutenant regardless. There were a few stares from passers-by, but Cloud seemed quite content hidden in the Lieutenant's arms. Something about that chased a little of the darkness in Zack away.

…_Gaia, what you do to me…_

To be honest, Zack wasn't exactly sure what they were doing here. He'd been listening to a faceless voice in his slumbers, and had come looking for a person he'd only ever come across once. Would he even be able to recognise the woman if she were standing right before him? Zack let out a soft sigh, and Cloud raised concerned eyes to meet his, seemingly oblivious to the rest of the world's existence.

"I don't know exactly what happened, but I think that I'd like to help as much as I can," Cloud frowned slightly, "Even if you're not exactly opening up to me right now."

"It's not that," Zack frowned, breaking eye contact, "It's just I'm a little worried about what you'd think. It's all a little messed up and crazy, and if I think it sounds far-fetched, I can only imagine what you'd get from it all."

The blonde let out a muffled laugh against the SOLDIER's chest, and Zack tipped up Cloud's chin and cocked an eyebrow.

"I've thought you were a little crazy since the moment I met you," The blonde teased, before his smile faded and was replaced with a serious frown, "But… I've also trusted everything you've ever told me, too."

Zack felt his heart clench a little as a flicker of hurt swept across the blonde's features, and the Lieutenant was reminded once again of the vision of the future, where that brief flicker turned into an endless stretch of angst.

"Regardless, I don't know if it's what you want to hear," Zack smiled softly, and Cloud did the same. Zack didn't miss the sadness flickering through it though. Zack let out a soft sigh, taking the blonde's hand and looking for somewhere, _anywhere_ that was quieter, more fitting somehow. He saw a ray of light shining through an opening in the slum town, and saw that just beyond there was a garden brimming with flowers with a stream and waterfall nearby.

…_That can't be for real…_

Cloud's eyes locked onto the area too, and the pair was subconsciously drawn towards it. As they got closer, the fragrant smell of flowers puncturing the air, Zack slowed down his pace and willed himself to find the courage to open up to another human being. He'd always worn his heart on his sleeve, but his mind was always his sanctuary, and that was what he'd held closed so tightly for his entire life. Zack paused, his eyes closed as he let sunlight dance across his face, feeling the warmth around him, as his thoughts began to dream, to imagine.

_Zack's tenth birthday, where Melanie had helped him blow out his birthday candles, her face pale and drawn in an open smile, in what would be her last week of life. Zack's parent's second wedding, where they renewed their vowels on the beach, the canyons of Cosmo setting a backdrop to the ceremony, the light setting the rock ablaze in colours Zack had never conceived possible. Zack's first day as a Shinra grunt, seeing Sephiroth in the halls and having his breath catch as the bright Emerald green locked squarely on his and offered a small nod of recognition. _

"Cloud…" Zack murmured, as he opened his eyes to find the blonde facing the sky, his eyes closed and a soft smile toying along his lips. Slowly, Cloud opened his eyes and turned to face the Lieutenant, wonder in his eyes.

"I can feel them…" Cloud whispered, with his voice quiet in its excitement.

"Feel who?"

"I… don't really know. I just know that they're here," the blonde shrugged slightly, his eyes trailing the air as if expecting to see ghostly figures floating past with the breeze.

Zack climbed a small wooden set of steps, and took a seat in the middle of a patch of wild flowers. Cloud followed suit, his face relaxed and open in a way that Zack had never seen him before. There was something about this place that was… comforting…

"It's weird, but I swear I've been here before," Cloud frowned slightly, as if lost in thought.

"Yeah, me too."

It was quiet for awhile then, until Zack forcibly cleared his throat a little.

"Cloud, I…" Zack paused, scratching the back of his head in an awkward gesture. Cloud, patient as always, simply held the Lieutenant's gaze and offered a comforting gaze.

"I lost my Grammy…" Zack choked back on the words, his throat burning as the words passed through his lips.

"Your grandmother?" Cloud asked gently, and Zack let out a soft laugh.

"Kind of. We weren't actually related, but she's my family. She's in my blood," Zack tried to explain, as he placed a hand over his chest, "She's inside me all the time, Cloud."

"If she's not your real grandmother, then how did you meet her?"

"I was on a work trip with Sephiroth, and she spoke to me. She told me some things… Really cryptic things… And after that?" Zack faltered, knowing the words he wanted to say would have him thrown in the nearest asylum.

…_If I was talking to anyone other than Cloud…_

The Lieutenant took a deep breath and relaxed himself. This was Cloud he was talking to. He never judged, he simply listened and only gave his opinion should someone ask for it.

"She came to me in my dreams. The planet would pull me from consciousness, and she'd speak to me. She'd give me warnings; she'd tell me things that I'd need to know to make things better. She'd give me advice, and she'd comfort me, and she'd show me things from different perspectives. I was always learning, Cloud. There were things that I saw that I never want to happen, ever," Zack sighed softly, paying close attention to the blonde's gradually widening eyes. It was quiet for some time, Zack's eyes focused solely on the ground at his feet, his mind swimming with the smell of flowers and the memories and images that refused to cease flooding his thoughts.

"…So that's why when you passed out those times, we couldn't wake you up?" Cloud asked, as Zack gave a nod, "And why you'd wake up sometimes like you'd just seen a ghost?"

"Yeah," Zack laughed a little nervously, "Crazy, ain't it?"

Cloud was quiet for no more than a second.

"No, it's not."

Zack took a minute to register the statement, forcibly meeting the blonde's gaze, which was entirely honest and loving.

"It's not?" the Lieutenant asked, and Cloud offered a small smile.

"Something my mum used to tell me was that if a man of strong will and strong mind was willing to admit to something absurd, then it was likely to be genius and courage above madness," Cloud said softly, "Think of the guy who invented the telescope. In that time, if a man were to say he wanted to see planets other than our own, that were millions of kilometers away, they'd have thought he was mad."

Zack offered a small smile, before falling onto his back and staring at the skirt of the plate above them, remembering the clear skies in Gongaga, and the spray of the falls on the edge of the town. He could smell the flowers around him, and his mind continued to travel to the flower bed outside his house that his mother tended religiously, as well as the florist down by the town entrance, and the bouquets laid out across the graves at the local cemetery. He could see his parents, his mother placing a kiss on his cheek and wrapping her arms around his shoulders as she wept when he left for SOLDIER. His dad had offered a small smile, before ruffling his hair, patting him on the back and sending him on his way.

"You know the things you keep seeing in your head… the memories? What you're seeing is what they're feeling. They're the souls of those who have passed on, and in return they're connecting with your own, and your soul is connecting with you," Zack explained, remembering the words of his newest Keeper, "The planet has these people that look after her, and the people that are meant to make a difference to the world, you know? She calls them her 'Keepers', and that's what Grammy was. She was one of them."

Cloud nodded, accepting the explanation and laying down to rest his head on Zack's chest. The Lieutenant's arm came around the blonde's shoulder and he placed a kiss against Cloud's temple as they stared at the plate's intricate mass of wires and pipelines, visions continuing to come to them. Zack felt the blonde's body rising and falling gently against him, and heard Cloud's breathing deepening, smiling as he realised that the blonde had fallen asleep in his arms. He smiled to himself for some time before a voice broke the air.

"Good Gaia, what would the General think if he could see you in such a relaxed state?" A soft voice chided, as Zack sat upright, his eyes settling on none other than the Cosmonian woman herself. Cloud had barely moved when Zack had shifted, and the old woman's eyes settled on the blonde's sleeping form nestled amongst the flower bed.

"My, he's beautiful," she smiled, and Zack offered a cautious gaze in the woman's direction.

"Who are you? I was told to come to you if I wanted answers," Zack said firmly, and she laughed lightly, her eyes turning to face the plate as well.

"The plates are looking a lot sturdier than they were only a few weeks ago," she smiled to herself, before turning sparkling eyes back to Zack, "My name's not important. All you need to know is that I am a Keeper. I have questions of my own for you, Zachary Fair."

The old woman then began to walk off, and Zack floundered for words to say.

"You should follow me, Mister Fair," She laughed, her eyes still facing straight ahead of her. Zack turned his eyes to the still sleeping form of Cloud, and he stayed put. She paused slightly.

"Cloud will be quite alright. He'll be well looked after here," She said calmly, and Zack found himself standing and slowly walking after her, throwing looks at the blonde over his shoulder.

…_Are you nuts leaving him alone like this?..._

"As I said, Zachary, he'll be quite alright. There's no harm in leaving him, rest assured," the old woman smiled, as Zack opened his mouth to talk and found himself speechless. He moved forward a few more steps, and the world around him went black except for him and the old woman. Zack froze to the spot, as she continued walking.

"_Walk lively Mister Fair or you'll get left behind," she smiled, her eyes meeting his with a reassurance leaving Zack practically trotting after her. As the pair carried on, the blackness dissipated and left them in a city street filled with children, grotesque marks along their face, as if a toxic cloud was creeping under their skin. The sky was clouded, the streets were dirty, and the people were clearly disheveled and despaired. They walked past a crumbling building, and Zack faltered, his eyes settling on the sign just above the door. _

"_Strife delivery services?" Zack said softly, and the old woman stopped, turning to look over her shoulder, before back tracking and casually entering through the door._

"_Wait!" Zack panicked, and she paused, "Are you allowed in there?"_

"_I don't see why not. Nobody else but you can see me, my dear," She smiled, before continuing into the house. Zack stood in the doorway for a few more moments, before cautiously following her in. He took a few steps and faltered, coming face to face with a brunette woman. She seemed to stare straight through him though, as she pointedly ignored the ringing of the telephone over on the desk nearby._

"He's not here…"_ she murmured, closing her eyes and letting a soft sigh slip through her lips. Zack gave a puzzled look to the old woman, who had taken a seat in a nearby lounge chair, and was rubbing at her feet._

"_This is a place called Edge, Zachary," she smiled to her feet, "I doubt you've ever heard of it, as it is not yet in existence."_

"_Not yet… in existence?" _

_The old lady said nothing, instead focusing her attention on the young girl by the door, as she picked up the phone._

"Strife delivery service, Tifa speaking… No, Cloud's not in at the moment, can I take a message?" _The girl frowned, as she scrawled across a sheet of paper._

_Zack looked around and took in the scenery as he let out a soft sigh. There were a few pictures here and there, of the girl on the phone, of a little girl with big brown eyes and a quiet smile, of a boy with bandages around him, and then, as Zack figured there would be, photos of Cloud. _

"_So he really does live here, huh?" He remarked out loud, and the old woman offered a frown._

"_I suppose, in some ways, you may say that…"_

"_In some ways?"_

"_His family is here, his possessions are here, and his business is here," she paused, "But it is seldom that you will find Cloud himself. Even when he is here, it's not often that his thoughts or heart are."_

_Zack didn't really understand what the woman was saying, but he knew enough to determine he didn't like it. He turned a determined gaze to the woman, and nodded._

"_Take me to Cloud."_

_She let out a soft sigh, her eyes settling on the woman by the door, now off the phone and holding a photograph of the blonde in her hands. She brushed a thin coating of dust from the glass and let out a deep breath._

"Cloud, you can't keep running…" _she whispered, before heading up a staircase at the back of the room._

"_That…" the old woman paused, gesturing to the staircase, "is Tifa. Had things gone according to plan, you'd have made friends with her. You'd have helped her out on numerous occassions in Nibelheim, sent text messages and emails to her regarding Cloud, and even gone to dinner at her mother's house to make up some lie about why Cloud supposedly wasn't in Nibelheim."_

"_Who is she?" Zack frowned, his eyebrows furrowing. She seemed like an important part of Cloud's life, and right now, in this vision, she seemed to be Cloud's wife or at least his girlfriend._

_The old lady walked over to a shelf by the kitchen counter and pulled out a photo album, setting it upon the counter and opening it, offering a small smile as she gestured Zack over. Zack looked down at the photos inside, and smiled a little to himself. There was a very young Cloud, smiling out of a window at an individual outside. Beneath it was another photo, a class picture from Nibelheim Primary School, with a very young Cloud, and what appeared to be a young version of Tifa._

"_Childhood friends?" Zack asked, and the old lady scoffed a little, a bitter smile on her lips._

"_If you could call it that…"_

"_They weren't?"_

"_Well, let's just say Cloud had an infatuation that little Miss Prissy-pants had difficulties in noticing. Cloud forgave her, but many of the Keepers never did…" She paused and gave a distant smile, "I guess you could also say that Cloud is one of our favorites. We love him very much, and we hated seeing him suffer for so long. He was a good boy, Zack. And, as you saw, he was a gorgeous male. He had you and Sephiroth as mentors after all. But then, events unfolded that broke him…"_

_Zack felt his stomach lurch, as the imagery around him spun rapidly and he fell to the ground, his head dizzied. Gradually, the scenery stopped, and he gave a hiccup, his stomach struggling to settle itself. The old woman simply raised a brow._

"_A SOLDIER who can't handle a little time travel? Gaia, what a pity," she teased, as she pulled Zack to his feet. He offered a scowl, before his eyes widened. A shuffling noise across the room brought his attentions to his new surroundings, and settled on a blonde figure settling himself by a bed of flowers, resting his back against a large metal chest. _

"_Cloud!" Zack grinned, moving towards the blonde. The old lady grabbed his arm, and shook her head. _

"_He can't hear you, see you, feel you…" she chided, "We're here to watch, remember?"_

_Zack sulked slightly, watching as Cloud raised a shaky hand to his head. That same toxic cloud on the children's skin that Zack had seen before, was seemingly gradually consuming Cloud as well._

"_The name Jenova means very little to you right now, Zachary," the old woman remarked, "But to this Cloud, it means the world. It was that one name that would haunt him for the rest of his life. Not only did the calamity from the skies cast a shadow across your ummei, but she held a stronghold on the entire planet."_

_Zack watched as Cloud's face flashed briefly with a look of confused surprise, his eyes abruptly turning to where Zack and the old woman were now standing. Bright blue widened slightly, as Zack felt the future gaze fixed solely on his own eyes. Zack startled slightly, before Cloud shook his head, flicking his eyes to the ground. It was then that a burning pain seared through Zack's skull, and the old woman next to him let out a startled cry. Zack fell to the ground, images racing through his mind of flames in Nibelheim, of years spent in the lab, of mako treatments, sexual abuse, physical abuse, mental anguish. His ears rang with Cloud's pained cries, and rang even further with the realisation of Cloud's silence. Images continued, of escape, of travelling across the country side with a mute and seemingly incoherent Cloud, of battles, of unspoken feelings for the blonde, of uncertainty, and… Of his own death. He felt bullets tear through him, and his last conscious vision was of Cloud kneeling on a cliff side and screaming to the heavens above. As this flashed through his mind, there was a sob from Cloud as he huddled by the flowers, clutching his own head as he frantically met Zack's gaze once more._

The world span black abruptly, and the pain melted from Zack's body as he lay on the grass staring at the Midgar plate above him. The old woman was kneeling by his side as he opened his eyes, his breathing labored as he spluttered on the onset of too many questions from his own mind. As he became more aware of his surroundings, he heard a desperate cry from the direction he and the woman had come.

"Maria! Maria!" A woman's voice came, "Help!"

The old woman stood and hurried in the direction of the voice, as Zack pulled himself to his feet and did the same. He rounded the corner and found a lady dressed almost entirely in pink, huddled by an all too familiar blonde form. The elderly woman gave a 'tsk, tsk' and knelt beside the figure also, as the young lady paled slightly at seeing Zack's eyes focused on the blonde.

"Zack…" She said softly, moving to the SOLDIER's side and placing a gentle hand on his shoulder as the old woman began murmuring in Cosmonian and casting different colours of glowing light over Cloud. It was then that Zack felt the girl's fingers squeeze his shoulder slightly, and his memory was jarred abruptly.

"You're the Keeper in my visions," He said, and she gave a small nod.

"I live in the house just over there. I was keeping an eye on him through the window when he was pulled into a vision by the planet. Something went horribly wrong," she said shakily, "I got pulled in too. You were both there, you and Maria, and he was seeing you, in the future."

She shook her head, tears brimming in her eyes.

"But Zack, in that particular future, you were meant to be… dead…" she whispered, "He should not have been able to see you. He got visions in his head, also, that were only meant for you. Something went horribly wrong. He _became_ his future self, when he should only have ever observed. Then there's the fact that in the future, he'd already held the geo-stig-"

"Do _not _say_ a _further word more, Aerith!" The old woman hissed, as the young woman clamped a hand over her mouth, tears falling from her eyes. The old woman gave a soft sigh of relief then, as Cloud moved a little restlessly in his sleep, seemingly recovering from whatever it was that had clutched at him. All three of them now stood over Cloud, as Zack stared anxiously at the blonde. Cloud opened his eyes blearily, and as he did so, Zack felt his breath catch. For a moment, they weren't Cloud's eyes looking back at him. They were Sephiroth's. It seemed Aerith and the old woman had seen this too, as both let out a gasp. The old woman held her chest, seemingly distressed beyond words, before Cloud's eyes returned to normal and he moved a confused gaze from each person to the other, settling on Zack's.

"…What's going on?" He asked, as Zack did little more than hold his gaze.

"She's poisoning the Lifestream," the old woman whispered, "It's already begun…"

At this, Aerith dissolved into tears, and something within Zack sunk. Even though he held no real understanding of those words, he had a horrible feeling that someday he would.

--

"Don't be stupid, girl. This isn't time for jokes and little tales of superheroes and Prince Charmings that will save the day."

"Well it's better than sitting around and doing nothing!"

"Once she has invaded, there's very little any of us can do."

"Then we should at least try what little we _can_ do!" Aerith snapped, her eyes lit up with a fiery passion for the topic at hand. Maria, as the old woman would come to be called by Zack from now on, seemingly held a higher rank in the Keepers than Aerith did, and was strongly disliking the challenge in the young woman's eyes and tone. Somewhere within Zack, he knew that he and Aerith were meant to be part of the bigger picture in a way that even Zack wouldn't comprehend. He barely knew the girl having met her just today, yet he felt as if he'd known her his entire life. Maybe, in a way, he had.

"Can you both lower your voices a little? You'll end up waking up Cloud," Zack said lowly, and the pair turned their gazes to the SOLDIER, seemingly surprised to find him still there. The three of them were sitting in Aerith's kitchen, whilst Aerith's mother had put Cloud to bed and began tidying the second story of her house. The woman was a lot like Aerith, but they looked nothing alike, and it became apparent that Elmyra was not a Keeper when she had let out a sigh as soon as Aerith began to speak of the planet. Zack found it strange, but asked no questions, simply waiting from an explanation from both of Gaia's Keepers. All that he had to wait for was the pair to stop arguing over possible miracle solutions.

"Zack, you need to speak with Sephiroth…" Aerith urged, and Maria threw her a threatening glare. Aerith acknowledged the eyes burning holes into her head, but persisted anyway.

"We all saw Cloud's eyes. For the Keepers, we know what part of Sephiroth Cloud had in him. For you," she paused, frowning slightly, "It may be something that you need to find out with Sephiroth."

"And rush along the Nibel incident?!" Maria snapped, "Are you insane?!"

"If Sephiroth isn't in Nibelheim, there _is_ no Nibel incident!" Aerith retorted, "If we can stop everything before it gets that far, then things might just work themselves out. We learnt, Maria, that Nibelheim was the turning point for the major events that Gaia had planned to unfold."

Maria waved a hand at this and rubbed her temples.

"Gaia save us, I need to think..." She murmured, as Aerith let out a soft sigh and called up the stairs.

"Zack and I are going for a walk, ma!" She called, as Zack raised a brow. This was news to him.

"Be careful, for the love of Gaia!" Elmyra called back, "You know what they're like at this time of the day…"

"We'll be fine ma," Aerith replied, offering Zack a small smile as she headed for the door. Zack, caught by the open and honest gaze she'd offered, automatically stood and headed after her.

Aerith walked with her hands folded neatly behind her lower back, her eyes looking upwards as she walked, seemingly with no concern of tripping over any obstacles.

"This might sound weird…" Zack said awkwardly, as she turned smiling eyes to meet his, "But I feel like there's something about you th-"

"That feels really familiar?" She suggested, and Zack nodded, a little unsettled once again by the premonitions of a Keeper. They walked for a little bit longer, until Aerith gave a small giggle to herself and shook her head.

"We dated, Zack," She laughed again, as Zack seemed to splutter.

"_Dated_?" Zack repeated, and she nodded.

"In an alternate future, yes. We'd have met during the incidents involving Genesis and Angeal. But, as you know, Gaia's altered her path, and even timelines have been altered," She said quietly, as if there may be someone listening, "But to be honest, the visions we've seen didn't have you meeting me until an even later date. Things are changing, Zack. Grammy's sacrifice seems to be making turns that even Gaia could not foresee."

"Is that even possible? For the planet to not see her own future?" Zack asked, and Aerith nodded.

"It's very, very rare, but it's happened on occasions before. Usually once every few hundred years. This time though, it's happened twice within a few years."

"What happened last time?" Zack asked, and Aerith's smile turned decidedly sad.

"The planet saw Sephiroth setting her ablaze, filling her with toxins, destroying her children. They were the only visions we ever saw. But something happened to Sephiroth that the planet hadn't foreseen, which changed many things, some of which we're still not sure of," Aerith explained.

Zack racked his brain. Surely the planet showed him this before? Surely?

"…What was it?" Zack asked, and Aerith turned once again to meet his gaze as they walked.

"He fell in love…"

It was probably one of the corniest things that Zack had heard; how love had changed the fate of the world. He started thinking though, that if anyone's emotions had the power to change the world around them it would be Sephiroth's. He'd joked with him once, how if the General was angry, the world would bow before him to make him happy.

"_Not to mention, if you're pretty content with the world, the world's pretty content with you."_

"_That's only because people think that will stop me from killing them," Sephiroth had smirked, enjoying the casual banter._

"_Gaia forbid you get hurt. I imagine the planet would implode on itself."_

"_I don't _get _hurt, Zachary," Sephiroth had remarked, "But on the odd chance I did, I imagine the planet would hurt with me…"_

Zack had stopped there, watching the focus fade from Sephiroth's eyes, and thinking to himself that there was enough seriousness there to make the Lieutenant pray to Shiva that nothing ever did hurt Sephiroth.

"It must have hurt him, what the planet did to Genesis and Angeal…" Zack murmured, and Aerith stopped suddenly. Zack watched as she stooped and picked a solitary daisy growing amongst the rubble and junk gathered in the sector five slums.

"Think of Sephiroth like this flower. He's a little different to everything that's around him. He has a godly look about him, something pure, that helps him survive amongst all the wreckage," she said, bringing the flower to her nose, "He's refreshing to the senses, because he's a rare find. But… you don't see any other flowers around him. Why?"

Zack offered no response, and she handed him the flower, closing her hands around his.

"Because there are certain flowers that can only blossom in the middle of disaster." She said gently, "That you can only find by looking for them, and that you can only rescue by picking them up and carrying them with a loving hand."

Zack held the flower between his fingers, and tried to understand what she'd meant. He handed it back to her and she smiled, patient as ever, before explaining further.

"Sephiroth was lucky enough to grow through two disasters. The first hand to pick him up was Angeal's. When Angeal fell," Aerith paused, taking the flower and dropping it, "So did Sephiroth."

Zack, by automatic reaction, stooped and picked up the fallen daisy, holding it lightly between his fingers. Aerith nodded, smiling.

"…And once he'd fallen, it was you who picked him up next, Zack…"

Zack looked down at the flower between his fingers, in its fragility and delicacy, and almost scoffed out loud. Aerith waited patiently for Zack to make a comment, and she smiled softly as she did so.

"…How could you compare him to something so…fragile?" Zack asked finally, and she laughed slightly. This time it was Zack who waited patiently for a comment.

Aerith walked along quietly smiling to herself, and Zack walked beside her. Zack thought on it, and figured that if there was any female that was even possible for him to fall for in an alternate future, Aerith would be it. She was wiser beyond her years, she was beautiful, compassionate, and most of all, she was fun. She was just what Zack had always been looking for, except she was female. Zack was still having difficulties imagining being with anyone other than Cloud, let alone one of the opposite gender.

"You've known Sephiroth a long time now, haven't you Zack?" She asked suddenly, drawing the Lieutenant from his thoughts.

"Yeah, awhile. He's kind of like my best friend."

"Don't you ever wonder how things would be different if he didn't have you?" Aerith asked, stopping once again, this time at a small stall. She took the flower from Zack's hands and placed it behind a little girl's ear. The girl smiled up shyly at her, before disappearing into a worn down old house. Aerith watched her leave, before turning her soft smile back to Zack.

"I figure they'd be pretty much the same…" Zack shrugged slightly, feigning nonchalance, despite the curiosity bubbling up inside him. It was with this that Aerith gave a quiet laugh, before reaching over and flicking the centre of Zack's forehead. Almost instantly, he had memories flooding through him.

_Sephiroth sat silent and rigid by President Shinra's side at a ceremony, his eyes growing darker with each passing moment. Shinra was talking about sacrifice and bloodshed being a necessary loss in terms of the war in Wutai. Sephiroth had never supported the war, and had been little more than another one of Shinra's pawns. Over three hundred SOLDIERs, Sephiroth's very own men, were killed in Wutai. As Shinra's speech continued, Sephiroth stood abruptly and looked as if he were ready to start bloodshed of his own. Zack had leapt from his seat, taking Sephiroth by the elbow and murmuring a few choice words in the General's ear before sending him off stage._

"_He's uh, not feeling very well, Sir," Zack had smiled reassuringly, as Shinra gave a convinced nod._ _Zack had trotted after the General, offering nothing but insults about Shinra, and made wisecracks about the president till Sephiroth had calmed down. The Lieutenant had then taken Sephiroth back to the General's quarters and gotten him half drunk on four bottles of wine, before sending him to bed in a significantly more pleasant mood._

_Zack had been sitting with Sephiroth as the General sat on the edge of the Shinra tower, looking down across the city below him. He'd been there to hear it when Sephiroth had first mentioned his lack of a past, and therefore, his theory of not needing a future. Zack had seen the hollow look in Sephiroth's eyes then, and for the first time since he'd first met Sephiroth, he'd been scared that Sephiroth would do something recklessly stupid. Gradually, Sephiroth leant a little more forward, his eyes tilting further down as if judging the distance between them and the pavement below._

"_I'd say there's a few hundred metres between here and the ground," Sephiroth had remarked, "Do you think a fall like that would kill someone… like me?"_

"_Are you fucking retarded?!" Zack had cried, a burst of shocked laughter flooding from his lips, "I don't give a shit if it would, because it's something we're never gonna test, do you hear me?"_

_Sephiroth had raised slightly startled eyes to Zack then, and shook his head slightly._

"_What difference would it make should I be alive or dead? Lives would be lost regardless, Zachary. Shinra would still be running an empire intent on pitting man against man, and in the end, would I not just die anyway?"_

"_That's why, you stupid bastard, you stay alive and you make sure that you have the opportunity to change things," Zack said significantly softer than his previous outburst, "Besides, what would I do without you here? You're the only one I've got left. You can't give a guy a life and then take it from him, ya know?"_

_Zack had smiled then, and a little of the light had come back into Sephiroth's eyes._

"_You got a lot of living left to do buddy, so let's go live it," Zack grinned, standing and helping Sephiroth to his feet, "Now let's go annoy the shit outta Tseng or something."_

It was then that Aerith touched Zack's hand, and he was brought back to the present with little more than a dazed look on his face to alert the people around him that he'd just been trapped in his own mind.

"That's just two, Zack. Two memories that you'd let slip away, that have never once left Sephiroth's mind. You've changed his life. He's frailer than you'll ever understand, and he is more delicate in his expressions than any flower could ever be. It takes a special person to read him, Zachary," Aerith smiled softly, still holding his hand, "Not even the planet can do it all the time, but for Gaia knows what reason, _you_ can."

The little girl then reappeared from her house with a daisy chain necklace, before running up to Aerith and handing it to her. The girl blushed, smiling shyly, as Aerith took it and placed it around her neck.

"That must have been the last daisy you needed, huh?" Aerith smiled, bending over so that she was at eye level with the girl. The girl offered a small nod, before flinging her arms around Aerith and kissing her cheek. Aerith hugged the girl and thanked her, before walking back towards her house.

"How many flowers have you given her?" Zack asked, as the Keeper gave a knowing smile.

"Enough to make a chain," She said quietly, toying with the flowers around her neck, "As long as she had that one last daisy, she had enough support to make something bigger. All she had to do was piece everything together."

Zack rubbed his temple, absorbing the words Aerith was saying, but too tired of cryptic puzzles for the day to acknowledge any of their meanings, as the pair walked back to Aerith's house.

--

If Zack didn't know any better, he'd have suspected that Aerith and Maria were mother and daughter, as they fought like cats and dogs.

"So what were you doing the whole time we were gone? Staring into your little cup and hoping to find answers in your tea leaves? Honestly!" Aerith cried, and Maria looked as if she were willing to smack Aerith to the floor.

"Don't push me, flower girl!" Maria snapped, as Aerith crossed her arms defiantly.

"All I'm saying is that he should talk to Sephiroth and they should learn about 'her' together. One step together is worth a thousand alone," Aerith said forcibly calmer, before Maria scoffed. All composure slipped a notch as Aerith then knocked the elder's cup off the table in a dramatic hand wave.

"Well at least _I'm_ looking for answers here!" Aerith shrieked, as Maria jumped to her feet.

"The planet will provide us with the answers!"

"Gaia knows that we each have a choice in our destinies, or she wouldn't offer us _paths_!"

It was Maria's turn to storm out this time. Zack watched her through the window as she raved down the street about needing more time to think, and she'd be back when 'that prissy little so and so' stops defying her. Aerith then stormed into her basement uttering something about 'whining old bats and their arrogance' before slamming the door behind her. Zack turned to find Elmyra standing at the base of the stairs, letting out a long sigh and smiling understandingly in Zack's direction.

"They're both very close, actually," Elmyra smiled, as Zack scratched the back of his head and grinned awkwardly.

"You can tell?" He remarked, and she laughed quietly to herself.

"She's a special girl, Aerith. She's different to the others of her kind that have come here. I think that maybe she's special even amongst them. They all seem to come to her for their advice," Elmyra smiled, "But that may be because she's so strong minded. A little untraditional, which I think upsets Maria at times, but very intelligent and intuitive."

"What do you mean exactly by 'her kind'? You mean the Keepers?" Zack asked, and she gave a soft sigh, frowning slightly.

"I'm not permitted to say much. All I can say is that they're an Ancient breed, and truly are one of the planet's greatest hopes and protectors that Gaia herself could ask for."

Elmyra then stood up straight and dusted off her apron, giving another smile in Zack's direction. She never directly met his eyes. It unsettled Zack a little, but he saw no disrespect in the odd gesture, so he ignored it.

"Cloud, there's something different about him too. Something very familiar. He's got a lot of good in him," She nodded, and Zack smiled in spite of himself.

"He's certainly one of a kind," He agreed, and Elmyra stepped down from the stairs to give Zack access to them.

"He's probably been woken up by their little display just then. He might like your company," Elmyra smiled, as Zack nodded gratefully, heading up the stairs. Just as he was passing her, she grabbed his arm, and her eyes met his for the first time.

"I can see it in your eyes Zack. It scares me a little, but there's definitely something in there," She said softly, "you're not alone, no matter what path you take."

Zack held her eyes until she finally let his arm go, and he headed up the stairs. She was a little strange to say the least, but with a daughter like Aerith, it was to be expected. Something about what she'd said had given Zack a mixture of hope and fear. He wasn't fighting alone, but just who was it within him that was fighting with him?

He heard movement as he approached the room Cloud was in, so he knocked softly on the door. The footsteps stopped, and a quiet voice called "yes?" from inside.

"Cloud? Can I come in?" Zack asked, a grin slipping across his lips as the blonde practically hurled himself across the room and flung open the door.

"Zack!" The blonde cried, flinging his arms around the First Class. Zack buried his head into the crook of Cloud's neck, allowing a laugh to slip through his lips as the blonde's fingers squeezed him to the brink of death.

"Hey there," Zack smiled, as Cloud blushed scarlet and let go of Zack's shirt, scratching the back of his head.

"Uh… hi," Cloud grinned sheepishly, "Sorry about acting a little like a hormonally imbalanced female right then…"

"We all have our days. That time of the month?" Zack teased, and Cloud scowled as best as he could.

"If you weren't genetically enhanced and twice my size, I'd kick your ass."

"Luckily I'm genetically enhanced and twice your size then, huh?" Zack teased again, his hands resting on Cloud's hips as he spoke to him. The blonde blushed slightly, a coy smile creeping along his lips as he averted his gaze slightly.

"How are you feeling? You look a little better," Cloud said evasively, Zack's thumbs brushing along the blonde's hips.

"Pretty good, I have to admit, despite everything going on."

Cloud's face suddenly became serious, and he turned to go look out the window.

"I had a really weird dream, where you were standing with that old lady. I was a lot older, and I was sick. It hurt…" Cloud murmured, his right hand ghosting along his left arm, "And then there were bursts of visions. They were so strange, so intense. Then I saw…"

Cloud stopped there, and Zack knew why. If the Keepers had been right, Cloud had seen Zack die, just as the Lieutenant had. Zack walked up behind the blonde and placed his hands around Cloud's stomach, before allowing one to stray upwards and wipe at the tears gathering in Cloud's eyes.

"I know it really _does_ seem like I'm hormonally female with the crying and all," Cloud laughed slightly, a sob managing to filter through, "It was just… something I didn't want to see."

Zack turned Cloud around to face him, and offered a grin.

"Look at how alive I am right now, Cloud," He said softly, taking one of the blonde's hands and resting it against his heart, "It goes just about ape-shit every time I touch you."

Cloud blushed and swatted at Zack playfully, before the Lieutenant caught Cloud's chin with his free hand and leant in to press his lips against the blonde's. Cloud gave a surprised 'hmph', before letting out a soft moan, as Zack swept a tongue across the blonde's lower lip. It was highly inappropriate of him, and he knew it almost immediately, as his body responded to the sound and taste instantaneously.

Zack abruptly pulled back and raised a hand, before scratched his head awkwardly.

"My bad…" He laughed lightly, as he held a slightly dazed Cloud's gaze.

"Zack?" Cloud said softly, as he placed timid hands against the Lieutenant's chest. Zack held his ground, as he smiled softly as encouragement for the blonde to continue.

"I… want to make you feel good…" Cloud blushed, as Zack's mind reeled with positively filthy thoughts.

…_Gaia Zack, what's wrong with you? The kid's being a sweetheart and you're jumping ahead of yourself and looking to score…_

"You do make me feel good," Zack reassured, ruffling Cloud's hair affectionately. The blonde smiled, but looked down at his feet awkwardly. He then pressed himself a little closer to Zack's body and slid small, eager hands under the Lieutenant's shirt to slowly trail across a toned abdomen. Zack's breath caught at the tiny gesture, and waited with baited breath for Cloud to say something.

"No… what I meant was…" Cloud paused, raising his eyes to meet Zack's once again daringly, "I want to make you feel… _good_…"

At this, Cloud's hand slowly slid down and cupped the front of Zack's pants. The Lieutenant breathed in sharply.

"Ho~ly mother of Gaia…" Zack breathed, pulling Cloud's hand away. The blonde raised hurt eyes to meet Zack's positively flaming ones in confusion.

"Hey, babe, apple of my eye, sweetheart of the year," Zack laughed nervously, his arousal levels reaching an almost critical point, "Are you sure you wanna do that, kitten?"

Cloud seemed to think for a moment before nodding, his hand immediately reaching for Zack's crotch once again.

"Whoa! Whoa now Nelly," Zack tried to explain, "The thing is, if you get the motor started, I'm pretty sure that this car's going to keep running till it's out of gas, even if you take the key out of the ignition… You get my drift?"

Cloud thought again, worrying his lower lip a little, much to Zack's simultaneous delight and dismay.

…_You're not helping me out here, babe…_

"I get your drift," Cloud said, his usually sweet voice dripping with a playful bite. Zack wasn't sure whether to be extremely turned on or just a little bit scared. He stopped thinking on it though, when Cloud leant forward and pressed his lips full against the Lieutenant's and slid an eager tongue into an even more eager mouth.

…_Fuck composure…_

Zack's tongue pressed against the blonde's with a burning desire that he'd held for far too long. Cloud kissed back with a ferocity that Zack hadn't expected, as the blonde nibbled and sucked at all the right moments and in all the right places. When they finally broke apart, Cloud reluctantly ceased sucking the Lieutenant's tongue, as Zack struggled to hold his weight up. He clutched at the back of Cloud's shirt, as the blonde guided him backwards to fall on top of the bed, passing and locking the door on the way there. They fell back onto Cloud's unmade quilt, and the blonde began furiously working on Zack's shirt buttons. Within moments, Zack was topless and having his skin coated with kisses from Cloud's lips. Zack could honestly admit he hadn't expected Cloud to react so… passionately… And yet here the blonde was, fumbling with the Lieutenant's belt, before pulling it out and slowly sliding the pants from the Zack's slender form. Cloud trailed eager eyes over Zack's almost entirely nude form, save for a pair of boxers. Cloud disregarded this momentarily though, and returned towards Zack's face. Zack leant up and pressed eager little kisses along Cloud's cheeks and chin, as the blonde trailed fingers along Zack's facial features.

"You're so handsome…" Cloud murmured, blushing almost immediately as he did so, before placing a kiss just underneath Zack's earlobe. Zack mewled slightly, the gesture and previous statement leaving him feeling somewhat like a goofed up puddle of goo.

That changed instantly, as he felt his ear taken into the blonde's mouth and sucked on, before a hot little breath whispered into Zack's ear. He'd gone from puddle of goo to raging inferno within moments. He let out a breathy little gasp, and began to wonder just who was in control of this situation.

…_certainly doesn't feel like me…_

But when Cloud latched onto Zack's neck and began a pattern of licks, bites, and kisses, Zack found it difficult to care any more.

"Gaia, Cloud…" Zack breathed, which dragged a small moan from the blonde's lips. This was crazy. It only took a few whispered words or a moan from one of their lips, and the other was falling abruptly into the sensation too. Cloud's lips and tongue worked a trail down the Lieutenant's body, stopping to lave at his nipples, and dipping slightly into his belly button. Zack was almost writhing by this point, his body on fire and continuing to spiral out of control with every eager-to-please kiss that Cloud lay upon him. Cloud's kissing stopped just above Zack's waistline of his boxers, and the blonde raised timid eyes to meet the Lieutenant's. His eager bravado seemed to be diminishing, and Zack ran a finger through the blonde's hair. He couldn't believe what he was about to say, but it spilt out anyway.

"You don't have to do this, Cloud…" He smiled softly, and the blonde faltered for a moment, considering the option of stopping. Zack continued running a hand through blonde locks, as Cloud's eyes held his firmly.

"I want to…" He said softly, before slowly peeling back Zack's boxer shorts.

Zack let out a soft moan as Cloud's fingers brushed along his now exposed erection, as the blonde removed his boxer shorts. He wouldn't be lasting long, that was for sure, but from the dazed look in Cloud's eager eyes, he knew every second would be worth it. Cloud stroked Zack's length with the pads of his fingers, as the Lieutenant closed his eyes and bit back on his lip, struggling for control over his vocal chords. Just as he'd managed to subdue his breathing, and bite back on the string of dirty little words of encouragement threatening to spill forward, Cloud's lips slid over the top of Zack's cock and back off again with a small pop.

"Fuck!" Zack hissed through his teeth, as Cloud repeated the action several times, pressing his tongue against Zack's now weeping slit. The blonde's head bobbed slightly now, his teeth grazing slightly along Zack's skin, catching the tip slightly with every retraction of his head that he offered the Lieutenant.

"Oh man, Cloud baby…" Zack panted through his clenched mouth, "You're good at this…"

Zack had little time to register what Cloud was doing when the blonde held down his hips, before he was swallowed whole by the blonde's mouth. Zack saw stars, his head falling back onto the bed with enough force to shift the bed slightly. Cloud's fingers dragged slightly along Zack's stomach as his mouth worked wonders, twisting, swirling and pressing tightly around Zack's pulsing cock. Zack was right in his presumptions that he wouldn't last long, and had little time to even grab Cloud's hair in warning, before he was coming hard into Cloud's un-expecting mouth. Zack shook with the intensity of his orgasm, as Cloud swallowed eagerly, drinking from him as if he were a straw. Zack then pulled Cloud up to him immediately, and thrust his tongue into the blonde's mouth, tasting his own seed, as well as Cloud's own unique taste. The blonde kissed back furiously, slowing down as Zack did, the pair of them falling into euphoria at the experience they had shared.

After awhile, Zack let out a soft sigh and brushed some of the loose hairs from Cloud's face. The blonde raised concerned eyes almost immediately, as he rested against the Lieutenant's chest.

"Are you okay?" Cloud murmured, and Zack nodded. How could he not be?

"I'm fine," He murmured, placing a kiss against Cloud's forehead, "That was… Incredible…"

Cloud offered a shy smile and blushed.

"Felt good?"

Zack laughed at this, and squeezed the blonde in his arms.

"Yeah, felt good…" Zack smiled, and another silence fell across the pair. For that time, the pair of them had both been able to forget everything that had been bothering them. For Zack, there was nobody else who had ever been able to absorb him into another world like Cloud had, and they didn't even need to have any sexual experience for that to happen. Cloud looked up and held Zack's gaze, laughing slightly.

"What?" Zack smiled slowly, and the blonde smiled.

"I can see myself in your eyes," Cloud laughed, and Zack was suddenly aware of something.

"_I can see it in your eyes Zack. It scares me a little, but there's definitely something in there. You're not alone, no matter what path you take."_

Zack kissed the top of the blonde's head again and pulled him closer, ensuring that a part of the blonde's body heat was resting against his heart. He held it there till he fell asleep. Elmyra was right. He'd never be alone again.

--

**A/N**: Ohaithur! Not happy with this chapter! But, it's one of those "I need to get some backdrop story all together, so let's throw it in the one chapter" chapters. Y'know. So yeah, sorry. ._.

Smut was fail, I know. Sob sob sob.

Lemme know what else I messed up, as it is 4am, and no amount of checking at this time will catch every mistake.

Proper man smex soon. Like, actual intercourse. I know, I'm excited too.


	10. Explanations

D'aww! You guys are great! X) Thanks so much.

Kudos to **Stoic-Genius** for making me giggle with this line:

"Tell me Zack and Cloud weren't acting naughty in Aerith's mother's house. Ooh I'm telling..."

I never really thought of it that way. xD BUT I DO NOW.

**Warnings: Y-A-I-O! The fangirl in me, she **_**squeals**_**… And yeah, other such babbles of warnings etc. can be found in the first chapter. Nyergh. **

_Rendezvous- Chapter 10_

_Zack has difficulty getting down from the high that Cloud gives him, and Aerith and Maria have difficulty getting over the continuous surprises that Gaia has to offer as well as each other's general presence. Cloud finally becomes willing to show Zack just how much he means to him._

_-Insert goofy grin- … -cough-_

--

…_I could get used to this…_

It was the first thought ringing through Zack's mind as he woke, his eyes slowly opening to a sunlit room and a breath of air against his still bare chest. He let a decidedly goofy smile spread across his lips, before running a hand along Cloud's shoulder as the blonde stirred slightly. It didn't take much more coaxing, before sleepy blue eyes rose from his chest to gaze up at Zack's eyes. Cloud offered a small smile, before laying his head back down and murmuring a sleepy 'good morning'.

"Morning to you too, featherhead," Zack replied teasingly, as blue eyes raised once again, an eyebrow cocked in feigned annoyance.

"Kettle calling the pot black," The blonde replied mockingly, lowering his head once again to nuzzle against Zack's skin as he muffled a yawn against the Lieutenant's chest. The blonde then habitually let out a low groan as his pager buzzed, before he sat up abruptly.

"_Shit_!" The blonde hissed, snapping his pager off his belt just before Zack's cell started ringing.

"Yellow?" The Lieutenant chimed, before a much less cheerful voice reverberated down the line.

"Would you possibly have anything to do with the missing cadet at all?" Sephiroth asked, straight to the point, "Considering that I myself am missing my Lieutenant also, I thought you may be a little more informed than I…"

"Shit," Zack mimicked Cloud's realisation in a mutter, "Yeah, we had some things to do in sector five, and we fell asleep."

"Where on Gaia would you fall asleep in sector five? I presume you're well aware of the kinds of things you can _catch_ in the slum hotels," Sephiroth murmured disapprovingly, "Surely a little bit of… alone time… would not be worth the risks?"

Zack rolled his eyes, before offering the General a clipped explanation and apology.

"I know this is a big ask and everything," Zack hesitated, "But do you think that Cloud and I could have the day off?"

There was a long silence on the other end of the line, and Zack pulled it back from his ear to make sure that Sephiroth was still on the line.

"Is this for personal reasons?" Sephiroth finally murmured, and Zack could have sworn that Sephiroth was rubbing his temples whilst talking.

"Yeah, but not what you think. It's just really important," Zack replied hesitantly.

…_How much about this should I be explaining? He's toeing the line with all of this, and…_

"Very well," Sephiroth replied with a sigh, interrupting Zack's musings, "You have a meeting today. I have to be in Tuetsi's office at the same time, an unavoidable engagement, unfortunately. Who do you propose I send in your place?"

It took Zack all of two minutes before a small smirk crept along his lips. Damien might hate him for it, but it would benefit the other first in the long run.

"I'm sure Major McConnahy is up to the task," Zack replied lightly, and he heard Sephiroth let out a small 'hmph' of amusement before agreeing to the suggestion.

"I'll get everything organised then," The General murmured, before falling silent momentarily.

"Are you alright Seph?" Zack asked cautiously.

"I was going to ask you the same."

"I'm…" Zack paused, his eyes meeting Cloud's as the blonde smiled up lovingly, "I'm going to be just fine. Thanks for this."

"Take care, Zachary," the General said softly, a smile licking at his words, before he hung up the phone.

Zack offered a soft smile at the phone before placing it back in his pocket and resting assured that Sephiroth would have everything fixed up within the next ten minutes, just like he always had before.

…_Gaia, you'll never know how much I appreciate you, Seph…_

"You okay?" Cloud asked, the blonde offering a concerned gaze as Zack leant over to place a kiss on Cloud's forehead.

"Yup. Let's go get something to eat," The Lieutenant grinned, as Cloud nodded and hopped to his feet. Zack smiled to himself before following Cloud out the door.

--

Zack hated awkward silences. He especially hated walking into them when he was in such a good mood. Aerith and Maria were seated at the kitchen table, both of them clearly livid as they loosely cradled cups of tea. Elmyra offered a knowing smile from the kitchen as Cloud and Zack entered the room, but said nothing as she continued doing the dishes. Zack felt a pang of amusement as Cloud timidly took a chair beside Aerith and offered a shy smile in the young lady's direction. Thankfully, Aerith tightly returned the gesture.

"Good morning Cloud," She said softly, the grip on her tea cup tightening slightly, "How did you sleep?"

"Very well thank you, how about you?" Cloud asked, his smile growing a little more confident before falling abruptly as Aerith whipped her gaze to Maria.

"I _would_ have slept _fine_ if a certain _someone_ didn't come barging into my bedroom demanding that we discuss things in more depth at one in the morning!" Aerith snapped, as Maria slammed her cup onto the table, sloshing tea over the side.

"You know as well as I do that that time is when the planet is most willing to heed to her Keepers!" Maria retorted.

Aerith said nothing, returning to her livid stare at her front door whilst Maria stared at the bottom of her tea cup.

"Might I just say that you're both looking lovely today," Zack beamed, as he pulled up a chair and exchanged a cheeky smile with both women. Aerith looked sleep ruffled and her outfit had clearly been hurriedly thrown on, whilst Maria's hair was frizzed and she was still dressed in an old Cosmonian night gown. They both met Zack's gaze briefly before turning to each other and bursting into a fit of giggles.

"You grumpy old woman, look at you!" Aerith snorted, as Maria gestured at Aerith and offered a laugh of her own.

"Weren't you taught to dress as a child?" The old woman asked, before placing her hand over Aerith's.

"Perhaps it was too early, dear, I apologise," She offered, as Aerith offered one of her usual warm smiles and nodded.

"You _know _I'm not a morning person, but I apologise for being snippy," the girl offered, as Elmyra let out a small sigh and rolled her eyes.

"I'll never understand women…" Cloud murmured to Zack, as he awkwardly scratched the back of his head.

"Why'd you think I turned in the first place?" Zack winked, and Cloud allowed a coy smile to slip through.

"We can hear you," Aerith smiled, rolling her eyes, "Anyway, we trust you two slept well."

Maria held a hand over her mouth then, before a small laugh burst through. Aerith blushed, as Zack raised an eyebrow.

"Did we miss something here?" Zack asked, as Aerith shook her head, her eyes flicking to Elmyra briefly, before the woman sighed and started heading upstairs.

"Alright, alright," The woman sighed again, "I'll leave you to your discussions."

Once Elmyra had disappeared, Maria cleared her throat slightly and offered a cautious glance in Aerith's direction.

"Whilst Aerith and I were discussing possible solutions, Gaia called us to her," Maria paused uncomfortably, a blush rising along her cheeks, "It was only very brief, a few seconds, but we saw…"

Aerith giggled before the elder had a chance to finish, and Cloud's eyes widened considerably, his face burning as he turned to Zack.

"Saw what?" Zack asked, the suggestions the pair had offered sailing entirely over his head. Maria and Aerith burst into laughter once more, as Cloud leant in to whisper into Zack's ear.

"They… I think they saw… _us_… you know…"

Zack let out a snort of abrupt understanding, before scratching the back of his head and laughing softly.

"Oh…" He said dumbly, before Maria composed herself and took his hand.

"Don't be embarrassed dear, it's a very good thing," She smiled softly, "It means that the planet is already building bonds we thought she'd broken."

…_Pretty sure it means that Gaia is also a pervert…_

Zack didn't voice that thought out loud however, simply offering an embarrassed shrug and a cheeky grin in Cloud's direction. The blonde blushed, smiling slightly as he then stared at the table.

"Anyway," Aerith said softly, forcing back her amusement, "All things aside, we do think that we've found a solution, but it is extremely risky."

"_Beyond_ extremely risky," Maria added in all seriousness, "Considering that we're not even sure the planet will approve."

Zack didn't miss Aerith's slight eye roll, before the brunette offered a small smile.

"It's what we're trying to figure out here, Zack. We know that Gaia has given you in particular a lot of leniency, as you're what we call a Manipulator," Aerith explained, "Meaning that you, as well as a very select group of others, have been given the power of Gaia to manipulate fate itself."

"But the amount of leniency she has given you is as yet unclear," Maria frowned, "As there are seven manipulators in her care. All we know is that one particular Manipulator is set to change the course of Gaia herself."

"Do you think that could be me?" Zack asked, slightly breathless at the idea of so much responsibility.

"We can't be sure until we try it out a little," Maria said slowly, seemingly uncomfortable, as Aerith shifted slightly on her feet. Zack shifted his gaze from one to the other, both of which were avoiding his gaze.

"What's the problem here?" He asked firmly, as Aerith worried her lip a little and seemingly disregarded Maria's warning look before letting out a small sigh.

"If Gaia is tampered with in ways that she doesn't permit, she can become unstable in her pathways," Aerith explained, despite Maria's increasingly livid glare, "We could lose everything we've been working towards. You could actually speed up everything that's been written in fate itself. We could end up causing more harm than good."

"Aerith!" Maria gaped slightly, "You can't _say_ that it could do more harm than good! What the planet wills is what the planet nee-"

"Oh please!" Aerith cried, voice straining slightly with strong emotion, "We're so _close_ Maria. We're so close to having everything that we've ever wanted for our future, for _everyone's_ future, and you're trying to tell me you don't _want_ this?"

The older woman gave a soft sigh of defeat and placed a hand on Zack's arm, squeezing slightly. She then placed a hand on Aerith's shoulder and gently patted her, as the brunette became close to tears.

"Of course I want this. Ever since I was your age, my dear, Gaia has been speaking to me about the both of you," Maria smiled sadly, before looking over at Cloud, "And you too, Cloud. Gaia has always held a very open place for you. I've seen your varying fate many, many times."

Cloud held the old woman's gaze, before she removed her hands from Aerith and Zack and waved the blonde towards her. Cloud shuffled shyly forward, before Maria gently placed a hand on each of the blonde's cheeks.

"You're so young now. Your eyes are alight with hope, and with newfound love," Maria smiled, offering a brief glance in Zack's direction, "And most of all, you're _happy._ Simply seeing you like this, Cloud; it's something that I had always wanted to bear witness to before this old body returned to Gaia's embrace."

Cloud's face visibly colored under the woman's hands, and he offered a shy smile in Zack's direction, which Maria seemingly relished in. The old woman placed a kiss on Cloud's cheek and turned to Aerith, a fierce look of determination in her eyes, which the young brunette returned.

"We're willing to try this if you are," Aerith nodded, "But we warn you that for one thing it will be difficult, both emotionally and physically."

Zack nodded, images flooding his mind of what he'd already seen of the future. If he could do anything to change that, he would try.

"What do I have to do?" Zack asked, and Aerith offered a sad smile.

"You have to travel the consciousness of the Lifestream, and you have to learn. You have to see things that we otherwise would not have shown you, and you must learn things that you are not yet meant to know," Aerith frowned slightly, "Then… when you've gathered as much information as the planet will allow…"

"You have to share some of that knowledge with Sephiroth," Maria interjected, "And if Gaia permits, we can stop this."

Zack nodded, and Cloud offered a small frown.

"Is it dangerous?" The blonde asked, and Zack flung an arm around his shoulder.

"I've been Lifestream sailing before, featherhead," Zack teased, ruffling blonde spikes as Cloud wriggled slightly in his grip, "I'm becoming quite the professional."

"That doesn't stop it from being dangerous," The blonde frowned, "I remember when you scared the shit out of us that time you stopped breathing."

"There's some truth to that," Aerith agreed slowly, "But with us here, he'll almost certainly be fine. The biggest risk is when he crosses into other people's visions. As long as you remain quiet within the person you become, you should be fine."

"Person I become?" Zack frowned, and Aerith nodded.

"We're not just going into your path Zack; we'll be crossing into other's as well. I believe that you've ventured into Sephiroth's past at one point. It will be a lot like that. The only severe dangers that you may face are being drawn into the minds of the others a little too much and absorb some of the characteristics into your present day self. That's our biggest concern."

TheLieutenant nodded firmly, and turned to face the blonde underneath his arm. The blonde trembled slightly, before clinging to the Lieutenant's shirt and burying his face.

"Gaia Zack, are you really going to do this?" The blonde murmured, as Zack nodded, petting the blonde locks against him.

"But what if you get some of Sephiroth, when he's…" Cloud trailed off, as Zack placed a kiss atop the blonde's head.

"It's alright; I've got these two kooks to help me out, hey?" Zack smiled cheekily at Maria and Aerith, and Maria offered a sad smile in return before standing to get herself another cup of tea. Aerith had tears welling in her eyes, but she refused to meet Zack's gaze before heading over to assist Maria. Zack took his chance and steered Cloud outside.

He walked with his arm around the blonde's shoulders and sat down amongst a throng of flowers, just beside the waterfall. Cloud rested his head upon the Lieutenant's shoulder, and Zack was almost immediately lost in thought. He started to wonder if it was horribly too selfish of him to want to stay here, in this present, with Cloud by his side. After all, if he changed too much, would that mean that he could end up losing Cloud? After all of this time and effort to get the blonde in his arms to begin with, could he really afford to risk letting it go? So far, with everything the Keepers had told him, he'd come to realise that Gaia herself was in peril, but was there anything so wrong with living in the present? Zack knew he wouldn't live forever, and he'd often heard of people living like this very day was their last. He was starting to see the logic in maybe doing just that.

"I'm happy where we are right now, Cloud," Zack murmured against blonde spikes, "How about you?"

Cloud lifted his head from Zack's shoulder and gave a genuinely puzzled look in his superior's direction.

"Of course I am. But Zack, are you really considering leaving things how they are when we know what could happen if we keep it like this?" Cloud asked softly, and it was Zack's turn to offer confusion.

"What do you mean?" Zack asked, as the blonde turned his attention to the cascading water, "I thought you didn't like the idea."

Cloud shifted slightly, raising a leg to his chest as he pursed his lips slightly.

"I know. It's just… When I was in that… that vision thing…" The blonde hesitated, his hand ghosting along his left arm, "I was really sick, Zack."

"Well maybe you and me, maybe we could figure out a way to stop that?" Zack offered, but Cloud shook his head.

"No, it's not just me, Zack. Lots of people had it. It was confusing, but my own thoughts when I was me in the future, they were telling me all sorts of things. I was looking at memories I don't even have yet," Cloud frowned, "And horrible, horrible things had happened."

Zack was almost afraid to ask; even as he watched Cloud's eyes haze slightly, seemingly lost in his own thoughts, Zack wondered if he really wanted to know what Cloud had seen. Something about the blonde's reaction had bothered the Lieutenant.

"The future isn't just about helping me, Zack," Cloud murmured, "It's about saving you and Sephiroth, Tifa, even Aerith. Gaia Zack, what happens to Aerith is just…"

The blonde choked back a sob as his eyes watered abruptly, before he turned pleading eyes to the Lieutenant.

"It's all good and well for me to sit here and sulk about you doing this, but it's not important. Not my feelings. You _have_ to stop him, Zack. He… He _changes_…" Cloud murmured, even as Zack pulled the blonde to rest against his chest, "He's just not Sephiroth any more. He gets lost somewhere, to himself."

Zack frowned, as the water continued its seemingly endless cascade down the rocky fall somehow formed in the middle of this toxic city. It drew Zack's thoughts back to Aerith's comparison of Sephiroth to a wildflower, and it started to make a little more sense to him. The waterfall, just like Sephiroth, had managed to create something surreal and almost breath-taking, in the middle of a toxic surrounding.

…_If she hadn't taken that flower to the little girl, it wouldn't have been made into something as pretty as the daisy chain… It would have sat, choking on that toxicity around it, and it would have died or been crushed by its surroundings…_

Zack realised then, that if there was some truth in what Aerith had said, about Zack being the next person to pick Sephiroth up, then he would have to do it. Not just for the sake of the world, but for Cloud, and for Sephiroth himself. Still, his heart beat a little harder than usual, and he gave a soft sigh before turning to meet the blonde's raised gaze.

"I'm kinda scared," Zack admitted humbly, and the blonde smiled.

"It's okay. I'm kinda scared too. That's what's meant to make a real hero though, right? When, even though they're scared, they still do something for the good of the world."

Zack's breath caught in his throat.

…_Pride and honour is what makes a real hero..._

_But whose pride and honour?_

Zack realised then that it didn't really matter whose pride or honour it was, it was how hard he fought to protect it. If he had to fight to his death for Sephiroth's, he realised that he would be willing to. With that, he stood, Cloud doing so with him, before the blonde raised his eyes in hope.

"I'll do it. I don't think I could forgive myself if I didn't," Zack murmured, and Cloud nodded in apparent relief.

"Sometimes the only thing you need is to hold a little pride in your actions. If you're proud enough of yourself to know that you couldn't do that kind of thing, then it's a good sign," Cloud said softly, as Zack smiled down at the blonde.

"You're a mind reader, kiddo," The Lieutenant teased, ruffling blonde hair and gently placing a kiss against Cloud's temple before they headed back to Aerith's house.

--

When Zack and Cloud walked back into the house, Elmyra was hugging Aerith, the brunette wiping tears from her eyes as her mother murmured words of reassurance to her. Zack looked on in concern, but Maria offered a soft smile and shook her head.

"Oh!" Aerith cried, straightening up as she noticed Zack, "I'm sorry, I didn't feel you come back in."

…_**Feel**__ me come back in?_

Zack didn't question it out loud however, and offered a grin.

"It's all good doll," The Lieutenant waved it off, and Cloud walked over to stand before Aerith.

"Are you okay?" He asked, placing a hand on her arm, and she smiled softly.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just had to talk to mum about some stuff," She smiled, giving Elmyra a warm smile, "But it's all okay."

Cloud nodded, before heading for the room upstairs.

"I'm just going to grab my stuff, okay?" The blonde called over his shoulder, as Zack and Aerith gave a nod. Zack turned to the Keeper then, as the brunette offered a soft smile and took his hand.

"Are you alright?" She asked softly, as Elmyra gave a warm smile over Aerith's shoulder and headed up after Cloud. Zack gave a nod, a bubble of unease rising in his stomach at the strange behaviour going on around him.

"What's going on?" Zack asked, as Aerith gave his hand a squeeze and turned a questioning gaze to Maria. The elder gave a small nod, and Aerith let out a soft sigh.

"I'm going away for a while," the brunette smiled reassuringly, "But it's okay because you've got Maria here."

Zack felt his brows crease, as Aerith let go of his hand and turned to Maria.

"You know what to do if things don't go how we'd like," Aerith smiled softly, as Maria pulled the brunette into her arms for an almost motherly hug.

"Of course. Back to the canyon, and then home to Wutai," Maria reassured, "You're braver than most gave you credit for, my dear."

"What's going on?" Zack asked firmly, but neither woman gave him their attention. The Lieutenant sulked slightly, pulling up a chair as he watched the pair hug. He had no idea what Aerith's reasons for leaving were, or where in fact she was intending on going, but it seemed to be something important. Being one of the people caught in the middle of everything going on at the moment, Zack couldn't help but feel he had a right to know, and the fact that neither of the Keepers was willing to inform him, did little more than irk and unsettle his already unsteady mind.

"Oh Zack," Aerith sighed as she turned to face him, seeing the apparent sulk on the male's face, "For someone that has the fate of the planet in his hands, you sure can be childish."

Zack shrugged, offering a suddenly suave grin.

"It all adds to the charm," He replied, bringing a blush to Aerith's cheeks, and a scowl to Maria's lips.

"Not in this lifetime," She chided, and Zack grinned charmingly in Maria's direction instead. Her scowl quickly faded into a warm smile, and Zack mentally congratulated himself for managing to be a ladies man, despite being otherwise. His mother had once told him that his charm would win him the world if he kept using it like he did, and it seemed there was a little truth behind that.

"You'll find out soon enough," Aerith smiled, breaking the comfortable silence, as Zack raised a brow at her.

"I'd find out sooner if you just told me?"

"It's one of those things you have to figure out yourself."

"I hate those," Zack pouted, before giving a nod and heading up the stairs in search of Cloud. Aerith gave a small smile as he did, and Zack didn't miss the unease slipping through her gaze despite her greatest efforts.

--

Zack gave a small smile as he approached the bedroom where Cloud was seated on a bed and accepting some kind of gift off Elmyra. Bright blue eyes were smiling up at the woman, as she offered a warm gaze down at the blonde and pat his shoulder softly. The pair of them turned to face the SOLDIER as he stepped on a creaking floorboard, and Zack gave a sheepish smile.

"Sorry," He shrugged, "I hope I wasn't interrupting anything.

"Not at all," Elmyra smiled, murmuring a few words to Cloud before heading out of the room and passing Zack at the stairs.

"You should look after this one, he's a keeper," She smiled, her eyes once again not meeting Zack's directly, and the SOLDIER gave a polite nod.

"Will do, ma'am," He reassured, as she disappeared down the stairs.

…_She's a little odd, that woman…_

Zack turned his attentions to Cloud, as the blonde kicked his feet slightly; cradling the package Elmyra had given him in his arms.

"I never get presents," Zack mock-pouted as Cloud rolled his eyes, allowing a smile to slip through.

"You get stuff all the time, you just don't see them as being presents," Cloud shrugged, placing the package down on the bed beside him, as he smiled up at the SOLDIER. Zack was slightly taken aback again, as he saw that undying trust and affection in the blonde's eyes.

…_What did I do to deserve you?_

"Like what?" Zack teased. Cloud bit back an embarrassed snort, and gave a sidelong glance at the wall.

"Dunno, I guess you got pretty spoilt yesterday," The blonde teased shyly, as Zack inexplicably felt his blood beginning to boil already.

"You're a tease, kid," He murmured, smirking as he took a seat beside the blonde on the bed. Cloud automatically rested his head on the Lieutenant's shoulder and let out a small snort of laughter, before sighing softly and turning to the package beside him. He picked it up and handed it to Zack.

"It's kind of a present for you too, actually," the blonde smiled softly, a blush still creeping across his cheeks. Zack gave a soft smile, placing a hand on Cloud's head and pulling it towards him to place a kiss on the blonde's temple.

"You're too cute," The SOLDIER winked, before turning to the package, "So what is it?"

"Open it and see," Cloud replied, a hint of a tease licking along his words. Bold Cloud was something that Zack didn't mind seeing come out every now and again. Whilst cute and fluffy Cloud was just fine and dandy, something about smart ass, teasing, flirty, daring Cloud gave him a kick. Zack offered a decidedly predatory look in the blonde's direction, and relished a little in the fact that Cloud managed to fiercely hold his gaze in return. The blonde had a small smirk licking along his lips, and Zack had to will himself to behave.

"You'll be the death of me," The First Class murmured, before tearing open the package. It was a box, filled with a various assortment of goods that he offered a raised brow to.

"Cure materia?" Zack queried, and Cloud smiled.

"She said that one's for either of us. She thought it might be good to have something that doesn't cause damage for me to practice on, but she knows you like mastering materia too, so she thought you might like it," Cloud explained, "And this too."

The blonde held up an armlet, which Zack gave a thorough once over before letting out a low whistle.

"This is _nice_!" He grinned, "Where'd she find something like this?"

"Apparently you can buy them in Bone Village?" Cloud shrugged, and Zack frowned slightly. What on Gaia had Elmyra been doing to end up that far north?

"I like this," Cloud grinned, pulling out a woolen blanket with a picture of a chocobo on it.

"Awww, if you hold it up like that, it's kinda like a self portrait," Zack teased, "Looks just like you."

The blonde offered a half-hearted glare before running his hand over the fabric.

"Elmyra heard that Nibelheim gets pretty cold. She told me to hang on to it for when I head back home," The blonde smiled sadly, "Which I guess means that the entire planet doesn't have much hope for me in the SOLDIER department."

"Don't look at it like that, kid. You get your holidays soon, right? Maybe she just thought you might be going to see your mum or something," Zack shrugged, as the blonde gave a small nod.

"Yeah, I guess," Cloud replied sullenly, before Zack gave a devious grin and began poking lightly at the blonde's ribs.

"Are you getting sulky?" He asked, as Cloud snorted slightly, wriggling under the assault.

"Maybe?"

"What did I ever say about you getting down and grumpy about yourself, huh?" Zack teased, curling his fingers to tickle against the blonde's skin as Cloud flailed slightly, a burst of laughter escaping his lips.

"Dunno!" He cried, as Zack continued his assault, rolling the blonde over and pinning Cloud beneath him. The blonde squirmed and wriggled, almost breathless from his laughter as Zack let out a string of empty threats. The blonde's cheeks were flushed, and with his hips wriggling around beneath him, Zack had to forcibly stop what he was doing in favour of waking up to reality. Cloud let out a few more laughs, his eyes opening slightly as Zack eased his assault, the pair of them seemingly becoming aware of the position they were in.

Zack gave an awkward grin, staring down at the blonde innocently whilst his fingers continued to gently trail along Cloud's sides. The blonde blushed slightly, lifting a coy gaze to meet his elder's, before pointedly wriggling a little again.

"D'argh…" Zack blurted, letting out a breath of air as he let out a nervous laugh, "You're a demon, and you know that, right?"

Cloud shrugged slightly, raising a hand to lightly run through black locks, feigned innocence sprawled along blonde features.

"Dunno what you're talking about," Cloud replied teasingly, trailing fingers over the shell of Zack's ear.

"You're a minx," Zack snorted, leaning down to lightly capture the blonde's lips, before pulling back with a soft 'pop', "But as tempting as the idea is to devour you, I'd rather not make that kind of special occasion of yours to be in Aerith's mum's house, you know?"

Cloud let out a small snort at this, and Zack blinked back his confusion.

"You alright there?" He asked, and Cloud nodded.

"Yeah, just… 'Special occasion of mine'?" The blonde asked, his cheeks flaring, as he bit down on his lower lip, apparently holding his tongue.

"You know, your first… you know," Zack shrugged, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. Cloud laughed again, before shyly looking away.

"I'm not a virgin, if that's what you mean," the blonde shrugged, and Zack could have sworn he had a minor aneurism.

…_Someone else… had Cloud?_

A small part of Zack's selfish inner musings broke a little upon finding this out, but he swiftly pushed it aside. After all, who was he to think that Cloud wouldn't have been with someone else before?

"Oh," Zack replied dumbly, "Can I ask… who it was?"

"One of the cadets," Cloud shrugged slightly, frowning a little, "It was kind of a mistake. He made me feel like I was something more to him than just the sex, you know? But, turns out I wasn't. He was way older than me anyway."

Zack rolled over and pulled Cloud to lie on top of him, bringing the blonde head to rest against his chest and letting out a soft sigh.

"Well babe, that sucks. I kind of had a similar experience myself," Zack shrugged, thinking back to his own first time, "The guy ended up being a creep, and the experience was pretty damn awful, but it's not always like that."

Cloud nodded against his chest, and Zack felt a soft smile pressing against him.

"Yeah, I've heard too many good things about it for it all to be like that time was," The blonde snorted softly, a sign that Zack had come to realise usually meant embarrassment.

"Hey," Zack smiled softly, tipping the blonde's chin up so that their eyes could meet, "Don't be embarrassed, okay? You had a bad experience for your first time, and that's really pretty annoying for me to hear, not 'cause I'm ashamed or anything, but because the guy didn't take the time to treat you like the treasure you are. Okay? It's nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed about. He was the dickface, not you."

Cloud laid his head back down momentarily, before raising his eyes to meet Zack's once again and sliding up the Lieutenant's chest to rest his forehead against the First's. Zack offered a soft smile as Cloud closed his eyes slightly, pressing his nose against the elder's.

"You're so beautiful, you know that right?" Zack murmured, and he watched as a shy smile crept along the blonde's lips, pale skin flushing red slightly.

Zack felt his breath catch slightly, as blonde eyes re-opened, hazed with that same lusty disposition as the night before, and the first class let out a small hiss of air as Cloud gently nipped at the Lieutenant's chin.

"Cloudy boy, you're a freaking tease," Zack groaned slightly, as Cloud let out a small snort of laughter, "Stop doing that shit on purpose. It's still Aerith's mum's house."

"Kinda kinky, no?" Cloud laughed teasingly, as Zack bit back on a surprised laugh of his own. He had the face of an angel, this blonde across his chest; but Zack was beginning to learn just how misleading that angelic face was. For once, Zack was willing to let his inhibitions slide a little.

"I didn't know you were the kinky sort?" Zack wiggled his eyebrows, and Cloud snorted.

"You never know until you try," Cloud shrugged slightly, devilish smirk creeping along his lips, "Besides, wasn't it kind of… exhilarating… to find out that the Keepers could see what we were up to?"

Zack just about choked on his tonsils. It appeared as if he was unleashing a monster.

"Ex_cuse_ me?" The Lieutenant spluttered, before Cloud nipped at his chin again, swiping a tongue across slightly stubble covered skin, and all concerns over the moderately kinky side of Cloud were wiped away.

"Show me?" The blonde whispered, eyes filling with undeniable adoration and trust once again.

"Show you what, babe?" The Lieutenant murmured against his blonde's cheek.

"Show me that it can be a good thing," The blonde murmured, and Zack felt Cloud's cheek warming against his own, as he bit back a small groan at the daring implications the blonde was suggesting.

Zack trailed a hand along Cloud's cheek as the blonde nuzzled into the touch, only furthering Zack from his self restraint.

"Cloud, is it something you really want, or are you just doing this to try and prove a point?" Zack asked, and the blonde frowned slightly, shaking his head.

"What do you mean?"

"Am I… going to be another regret of yours?" Zack asked, hoping that he didn't sound as insecure about the situation as he was suddenly feeling. Cloud shook his head.

"I…" The blonde paused, shyly looking away, before seemingly regaining his determination.

"I love you, Zack," Cloud nodded, "And there wouldn't be a thing in the world that could make me regret you or anything we did together."

It was all the encouragement the Lieutenant needed as he rolled the blonde over and offered a lazy kiss against the blonde's mouth, which Cloud all too eagerly complied to. The blonde let out a soft moan of apparent relief into Zack's mouth, and it only served to add coals to the fire, as Zack slid his hand down Cloud's side to rest beneath the blonde's left thigh. He squeezed it slightly, as Cloud wriggled a little beneath him, clothed groins coming briefly into contact as their kiss began to progressively heat up. Cloud's fingers thread into black locks, and tugged slightly, drawing a gasp from the Lieutenant as he nipped on the blonde's lower lip.

"Ah, tease…" Cloud groaned in frustration, as Zack smirked against his lover's lips.

The Lieutenant trailed a tongue along the blonde's lips, as a shaky breath left Cloud's mouth, before Zack nibbled once again. This time, he pulled the lip back slightly, so that it snapped back to Cloud's gums with a noticeable sound. Cloud let out another small gasp, before Zack trailed lips to the exposed skin of the blonde's pale throat, marring it slightly with light bites and gentle sucks, showing to the world that Cloud was, in fact, his. If the appreciative mewls and moans from the blonde's lips were any indication, Cloud was enjoying the experience thus far, and it only encouraged Zack further. The Lieutenant trailed fingertips to slide up Cloud's shirt, brushing along pale skin and reveling in the small shivers beneath his fingertips, before sliding fingers down a thin waist and resting on slim hips. He shifted his weight slightly, and ground their hips together just lightly, Cloud clenching his eyes shut and opening his mouth in a soundless cry, before attempting to thrust himself against the Lieutenant once again.

…_Holy Mother of Gaia…_

Zack was fast learning that he shouldn't attempt moves that would drop his own self control any lower than Cloud's, as the blonde seemingly had the situation in his control once again. Zack held the blonde's hips down, offering a small sound of disapproval, which drew a groan of frustration from Cloud. Zack allowed his fingers to shift, sliding the shirt up and off Cloud's torso with assistance from the blonde himself, before latching his lips onto one of the blonde's nipples, and sliding his tongue over the tightened bud. Cloud shivered slightly beneath him, fingers clutching at ebony locks once again as a shaky breath left parted lips above him. Zack bit down lightly, experimentally, and was rewarded with a soft moan of his name. Zack felt heat pooling to his groin almost immediately, before he hurriedly turned his attentions to the other bud and laved affectionately. He wanted Cloud to get the best experience out of this as possible, but the soft moans and gasps of appreciation spilling from those lips were driving him mad with desire.

Zack trailed kisses down Cloud's torso, feather touch kisses drawing further shudders from the blonde's body, as Cloud struggled impatiently beneath Zack's firm hands. Zack released his grip slightly, in favour of moving his hand to the blonde's straining pants. He unbuckled them relatively quickly, before sliding them over bare skin, save for the blonde's chocobo boxers. The Lieutenant paused briefly, biting back a smirk as Cloud let out a groan of the embarrassed variety.

"Fuck, why did I wear those today?" The blonde moaned, as Zack let out a small chuckle.

"I agree, you should have gone commando," The Lieutenant growled slightly, his fingers trailing over the satin fabric, and palming the growth he found there. Another groan, this one entirely carnal, spilt from the blonde's lips, and Zack slid up momentarily to swallow it with his own mouth, his fingers subtly sliding over the hem of the material and slipping in to grip at the blonde's erection. Cloud gasped into Zack's mouth, his lips twitching as his eyes clenched closed in pleasure, his head thrown back as he writhed against the First's ministrations. Zack returned his mouth to the blonde's abdomen, as Cloud impatiently attempted to wriggle free of his boxers. Zack trailed kisses down to the thin triangle of blonde hair, before pulling back the blonde's boxers to find a pleasantly proportionate length nestled amongst the patch of hair. Zack stroked it a few times with his fingers, before sliding his lips over the head and bobbing to take the blonde whole in his mouth. Cloud all but cried out, his hands desperately clutching at the bed sheets, his back arching slightly in a bliss-filled haze.

"G-Gaia… Do that again," Cloud begged, "Please…?"

Zack moaned at the pleas, an action which only encouraged the blonde to writhe more. Zack repeated the action a few times, wanting the blonde to seek his release as quickly as possible. Cloud's thrusting into the Lieutenant's mouth became a little more desperate, as Zack felt the blonde's length pulsing in warning, before Cloud was coming hard. Zack spluttered slightly at the unexpected force, but swallowed every treasured drop the blonde offered, as Cloud's entire body twitched slightly in release, Zack's name ringing through the Lieutenant's ears. Zack watched the blonde's pale skin flushing, sweat sliding off the lithe body as Cloud's breath came hard and fast, his head thrown back in the throes of his passion, until his breathing began to steady and his head began to loll forward once again.

Zack offered a few gentle kisses against the blonde's abdomen, before raising fingers to Cloud's mouth in the hopes that the wordless request would be accepted. It was, as Cloud's tongue laved and sucked at the invading fingers, wetting them with the blonde's slick saliva. Once Zack deemed them adequately wet, he slid them from the eager tongue and trailed them down his body to rest at Cloud's entrance.

"It's gonna hurt a little," Zack warned, as Cloud gave a small nod of acceptance, before the Lieutenant slowly eased a finger in. Cloud's face screwed up slightly, but when Zack began to stop, the blonde shook his head.

"It's alright, I know it gets better," He urged, shifting slightly against Zack's invading digit. After a few moments stretching, Zack entered a second finger, feeling his breath catch at how readily the blonde was accepting his fingers, and trying desperately to force away the demanding mental images of him so readily accepting his throbbing length.

"Oh Gaia," Zack murmured in spite of himself, resting a sweaty forehead against Cloud's thigh, before slowly slipping in a third finger.

Cloud was moaning softly with each stretch and thrust now, before moans softly turned to pleas, and Zack was all to glad to comply. He hurriedly pulled off his slacks and pulled Cloud's legs up to rest around his neck, the blonde looking up at him with a nervous lust fuelled excitement.

"Cloud," Zack attempted once more to offer warning, before the blonde closed his eyes and softly begged for the Lieutenant to take him. Zack could hardly bare anymore, as he lined himself up with the blonde's entrance and slowly eased his way in, groaning right until the hilt.

_..Fuck me… the heat…_

It was almost unbearable, feeling the blonde open up to him in a way that he'd only done for one other before him. Cloud's face was flushed with exertion, seemingly willing the pain to subside, before Zack leant down to gently press his lips against a sweaty forehead. Zack let out a sharp gasp then, as Cloud rotated his hips, Zack feeling the motion through his entire body.

"Fuck," He hissed, as he leant back to ease his weight off of Cloud's thighs, "Oh baby, you have… no idea…"

When Cloud slowly rocked back and forth again, however, Zack was beginning to realise that yes, Cloud had every idea what he was doing, and the Lieutenant let out a low groan, slowly rocking with his lover below him. The two built a slow rhythm, neither wanting to rush the experience, and savouring every burst of pleasure the other had to offer.

Cloud began to harden against Zack's stomach once again, as the Lieutenant began hitting Cloud's prostate, the blonde letting out sharp gasps with every hit of the nerves Zack gave him. Zack's fingers found their way to the blonde's hips and slowly assisted the blonde in finding a slightly better angle and faster pace. They didn't last too much longer with Zack butting against Cloud's prostate, and the blonde's body clenching heat around Zack's pulsating length, before the pair were reaching their climax, offerings of softly cried praise and muttered words of adoration exchanged until they both wound down from their high. Zack rest a sweaty forehead against Cloud's, as the blonde offered lazy little kisses along the Lieutenant's face.

"Zack…" He murmured, as the first class opened his eyes to meet Cloud's glowing ones.

"Cloud?"

"Thank you," He murmured, before the Lieutenant rolled over, pulling himself from the blonde's body and resting Cloud against his chest, drawing the quilt over the top of them.

"I love you," Zack offered in return, even as the blonde's eyes drifted closed, pulling him into a fast sleep.

"I love you Cloud, and Gaia, I don't want to lose you…" Zack whispered, his thoughts straying once again to his task at hand and wondering if the alternate world was really something he wanted to save, if it meant risking this utopia.

…_Gaia help me…_

--

**A/N**: Bahaha, nipple. So… hard… to write… that word…

Anyway, hope you liked! I didn't really, but I never do, so I'm ignoring me from now on. Lol.

Personally, I DO somewhat enjoy moderately kinky!Cloud. Love for him. Lol.


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